Government should practice what they preach

THIS month was the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

You probably saw the scenes of angry folk who have been systematically abused by this Government gathering together outside the conference centre…

But that’s enough about the police officers in attendance.

I spent some time with the Greater Manchester Bobbies there. Stuck in the middle of facilitating a democratic conference and people’s right to protest.

And doing so with good humour and professionalism.

They of course face hostility from those protesters bellowing “Tory scum” and wanting to get into the conference hall.

And equally, hostility from the Tories entering the conference hall who continue to attack police budgets, having already laid assault to police officer pay, conditions and pensions.

Hasn’t it been fascinating this week to listen to the reaction to Home Secretary Theresa May’s speech on immigration at the event?

In what was widely described as a pitch for the party leadership, she declared the UK “does not need” large numbers of foreign arrivals, warning they are putting British workers out of a job and forcing down wages.

Many commentators have accused her of going too far.

Well nothing new there.

This venomous side of the Home Secretary will come as no surprise to the country’s cops.

Her speech this week follows on from her attack on policing and police officers at the May 2014 Police Federation of England and Wales conference – in what was another pitch for the Tory leadership should Scotland have been lost in the referendum that September.

Mrs May’s ambition knows no bounds. And she seemingly does not care who she steps on to get there.

Police officers and their families, immigrants. And anyone else should she ever become Prime Minister.

To hell with the evidence.

No? Well the Home Office under Theresa May’s command has been regularly accused of not understanding the impact of cuts to policing that it continues to make.

And not just by serving police officers of all ranks.

This year a cross party group of MPs on the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office also voiced their fears.

The National Audit Office said the Home Office “does not have the evidence to claim policing is coping adequately with the cuts”.

And yet the Government continue to plough on regardless. Shortly the service could face another 25-40 per cent cut.

According to reports, at the very same Conservative conference this week, Police Minister Mike Penning – who frankly is on the verge of becoming laughable – told a Policing Fringe he has “absolutely no idea” if a 40 per cent cut to policing is sustainable.

What!?

One of the politicians in charge of signing off/setting these unrealistic budget cuts doesn’t know if the cuts they are making are safe.

Well then think again.

But no. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t care. The Government will carry on regardless.

Where is the back up? The helicopter? The dogs? The horses?

Increasingly wiped out because of continued cuts to policing budgets.

Police officer morale is on the floor. One is six police officers in England and Wales wants to leave the job.

And now we also hear over the last 10 days that chief constables want to consider – however reluctantly – asking Mrs May for the ability to make them redundant.

She will jump at the chance.

Security. Stability. Opportunity, say the Tories.

Practice what you preach.

This column by Royston Martis (pictured) originally appeared in Police Oracle.