Policing is in 'deepening crisis'

TODAY marks a year since Labour's 'loveless landslide' at the 2024 General Election - and voters are already having buyers' remorse. This week the DAILY EXPRESS has been examining just how disastrous Sir Keir Starmer's first 12 months in power have been by holding Labour to account using its promises as the benchmark. Today we look at elements of criminal justice

- By David Williamson Chief Political Commentator

PUBLIC safety is being put at risk in a criminal justice crisis fuelled by Sir Keir Starmer's Government, critics have claimed.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is accused of denying police forces the support they need while bringing about devastating cuts to victims' services through her controversial hike in employers' National Insurance Contributions.

The Prime Minister, a former director of public prosecutions, led his party into Government last year with the mission to “take back our streets”.

He declared he would do this by “halving serious violent crime and raising confidence in the police and criminal justice system to its highest levels”.

But a year on Opinium polling shows seven in 10 voters have seen little or no progress.

Tiff Lynch, of the Police Federation which represents rank and file officers, warned of a “deepening crisis in policing”.

She said future funding levels fell short of what was required to maintain current services, claiming officers are now 21% worse off in real terms than in 2010.

Bleak

She said forces would struggle to deliver Labour's election vow of 13,000 more neighbourhood PCSOs and urged reform to support officers’ mental health.

Ms Lynch said: “What the police take home is criminal — not just pay but the trauma and pressures of the job they take with them. Without critical intervention, we risk losing 10,000 officers each year and wasting nearly £10billion simply trying to maintain staffing levels. This isn't just a crisis for policing - it's a risk to public safety.”