SHADOW Home Secretary Andy Burnham has dropped Labour\u2019s pledge to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and also rejected outright opposition to further cuts in police spending.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnham said that it is possible to \u201cprotect most what we\u2019ve got\u201d with cuts of 5% to 10% in police budgets, but beyond that he will warn that public safety will be put at risk.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a policing fringe event during the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, he said that it is perfectly possible to make further savings in police spending up to 10%.<\/p>\n
The government, which has already cut police budgets by 20% in the past five years, is currently examining options for further savings of between 25% and 40% to be announced in November.<\/p>\n
During his speech to the conference, Mr Burnham announced that Labour\u2019s pledge to scrap elected police and crime commissioners would now be dropped.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnham told conference delegates: \u201cThere\u2019s a battle that we need to fight \u2013 for the safety of our communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, George Osborne is sharpening his knife. He is preparing an ideological spending review that will cut public services hard, but particularly the police: 12,000 frontline police officers have already gone and crime is starting to rise.<\/p>\n
\u201cOsborne wants to cut the police by at least 25% and even more in Labour areas. It will change the very nature of our police service.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeighbourhood policing and police community support officers will be a thing of the past. Crimes uninvestigated, calls unanswered, victims abandoned. In places, the thin blue line will be rubbed out completely.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cTheresa May talks of asking volunteers to fill the gaps. I\u2019m sorry, Home Secretary, but you\u2019re not on. Your part-time police force will put people at risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe battle for our public services is now. And you know where my loyalties lie. I have shown I can fight for our NHS. And my message to our police is this \u2013 I\u2019m ready to do the same for you. Not just because I value you and your service. But because I don\u2019t want to live in a society where we leave people to fend for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full speech here http:\/\/press.labour.org.uk\/post\/130199874314\/speech-by-andy-burnham-to-labour-party-annual<\/a><\/p>\n