Maria Eagle MP A Strong Voice in Tough Times
This week I spoke in a debate on Police Funding on Merseyside. Since 2010, our police have had their central Government money cut by £90million. As a result Merseyside has lost 1,120 police officers and half of our PCSOs.
Debate – Police Funding on Merseyside
This week I spoke in a debate on Police Funding on Merseyside ⬇️⬇️. Since 2010, our police have had their central Government money cut by £90m. As a result Merseyside has lost 1,120 police officers and half of our PCSOs. For the full debate click here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-02-19/debates/EDB923E2-B10D-4C5C-B01B-DE7923514776/MerseysidePoliceFunding Despite this, our Police & Crime Commissioner and Police Chief Constable are doing everything they can to listen to local Halewood Branch Labour Party campaigners and local councillors to give the little funds they do have to the areas that need it the most. This is why Halewood Police Station is being refurbished and a new community police station is being installed. The local community will really benefit from this change, so I welcome the decision and the hard work of our local Labour Councillors and campaigners in ensuring it goes ahead. Crime on Merseyside is on the increase and it’s time the Government gave our police service the funds they need to be able to tackle it. Overall crime has risen by 29% in the last 5 years, with knife crime up by 31% and the widely reported increase in gun crime that’s seen 9 firearms discharges on our streets in the first six weeks of this year alone. The Government now say they’re giving our police £18m extra funding to help. But £10m of this is being raised by an increase in the council tax precept forcing council tax payers to foot the bill for this Government’s cuts. The remaining £8m will have to be used to fill the police pension’s black hole that this Tory Government created in the first place. Never mind what they say, the Government isn’t giving our police the extra funding that they urgently need.
Posted by Maria Eagle MP on Friday, February 22, 2019
Despite this, our Police & Crime Commissioner and Police Chief Constable are doing everything they can to listen to local Halewood Branch Labour Party campaigners and local councillors to give the little funds they do have to the areas that need it the most. This is why Halewood Police Station is being refurbished and a new community police station is being installed. The local community will really benefit from this change, so I welcome the decision and the hard work of our local Labour Councillors and campaigners in ensuring it goes ahead.
Crime in Merseyside is on the increase and it’s time the Government gave our police service the funds they need to be able to tackle it. Overall crime In Liverpool has risen by 162% in just a year, with knife crime up by 31% and the widely reported increase in gun crime that’s seen 9 firearms discharges on our streets in the first six weeks of this year alone.
The Government now say they’re giving our police £18million extra funding to help. But £10millon of this is being raised by an increase in the council tax precept forcing council tax payers to foot the bill for this Government’s cuts. The remaining £8million will have to be used to fill the police pension’s black hole that this Tory Government created in the first place. Never mind what they say, the Government isn’t giving our police the extra funding that they urgently need.