In response to the publication of the Government’s new Beating Crime Plan, Labour’s London Assembly Policing and Crime Spokesperson, Unmesh Desai AM, said:
“There are some good measures in this plan, but some are just gimmicks or repackaged policies which fail to provide the long-term solutions we need.
“Like the Home Office’s Serious Violence Strategy back in 2018, it just doesn’t go far enough to address the factors driving crime, such as poverty and exploitation.
“The Government would like us all to forget about the last 11 years of their devastating cuts to our police, youth services and criminal justice system. But without the proper action needed to undo the damage wrought by austerity, we will still be fighting crime with one arm tied behind our backs.
“As a starting point, we need a multi-year funding package for the Met and a guarantee of 6,000 extra police officers for London’s streets- otherwise this plan is in danger of very quickly unravelling”.
ENDS