'Labour's sums for 13,000 officersjust don't add up'

POLICING leaders have accused Labour of using "dodgy numbers" in plans to hire 13,000 extra officers.

- Michael Knowles

They have called the neighbourhood crime-fighting blueprint set out party leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper "unachievable wishful thinking" to be paid for with "centrally driven cuts".

Conservative police and crime commissioners warn at least £42million in training costs has not been accounted for in the plans.

And they say the policy would be funded by demanding forces slash £360million from their combined budgets through an "efficiency and collaboration" programme.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, Katy Bourne, said: "Labour's pledge to recruit more officers just doesn't add up.

"Their dodgy numbers miss out over £40million of training and recruiting costs. They also want police forces to make fanciful cuts to find a further £360million a year.

"Even if Labour followed the SNP's disastrous decision to every merge police force in the country, it wouldn't restore neighbourhood policing.