Budget: ‘Economy not working for neighbourhood policing’

THE UK economy is “simply not working” for neighbourhood policing, leaving the service in a “perilous state” in some areas, Chancellor Philip Hammond was told following his Spring Budget.

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn listed police among the “dedicated public servants” who had not benefited from the economy and who had lacked a pay rise for seven years. 

“The Chancellor made his boasts about a strong economy, but who is reaping the rewards of this economy? For millions it is simply not working,” said the Labour leader.

“Not working for our neighbourhoods which have lost 20,000 police officers, leaving the force in a ‘perilous state’ in many parts of the country.”

Mr Hammond made no specific mention of policing in his speech, although spending for public order and safety was predicted to be around £34bn for 2017/18, the same figure predicted for 2016/17.

Former chancellor George Osborne told MPs in November 2015: “Now is not the time for further police cuts. Now is the time to back our police and give them the tools to do the job. I am announcing there will be no cuts in the police budget at all.

“The police protect us, and we’re going to protect the police.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) said it hoped that since Mr Hammond had not said anything specific about reneging on Osborne’s statement, that the Government intended to “uphold its promise to protect police budgets”.

PFEW chair Steve White said: “Our officers are stretched beyond reasonable capacity, and we will continue to push this fact back to Government.

“In order to protect the public, the police service must have the right investment.”