Police record an increase in serious crimes amid cuts
Labour has called on the government to reverse police cuts
New statistics show that there was an increase in knife crime, murder and robbery in the year ending in September 2018.
The number of murder victims increased by 14% year-on-year from 649 to 739. These figures exclude the terror attacks in London and Manchester.
The number of robberies recorded by police increased by 17%. The Office for National Statistics said this was evidence of a “real change in these crimes”.
There was an 8% increase in offences involving a knife or sharp instrument.
Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said:
“Serious violent crime continues to rise yet the government remains in denial about the effects of its own policies. The Tories have cut police officer numbers.
“They have also exacerbated all the causes of crime, including inequality, poverty, poor mental health care as well the crisis in our schools, especially school exclusions.
“Labour is committed to increasing police numbers and to reversing the austerity policies which are contributing to crime.”
Since they came to power in 2010, the Conservatives have been cutting the public sector as part of their ‘austerity’ agenda.
Since 2010, their governments have reduced police numbers by more than 45,000 in England and Wales. This is a 19% drop in the workforce.
A disproportionate amount of knife crime takes place in London. Labour’s London Assembly team has called for the government to grant it more resources to tackle the issue.
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