Joe Watts – Independent
Almost 80 per cent of people believe police force spending cuts have made them less safe on the streets of Britain, an exclusive survey has shown.
Some four-fifths of those questioned in the exclusive survey for The Independent said swingeing cuts enforced during a near-decade of austerity driven by the Conservatives have damaged public safety.
In a worrying omen for Theresa May, an even larger proportion of Tory voters were of the view that spending reductions have had a negative impact – potentially undermining the Conservatives’ traditional claim to be the party of law and order.
The data from BMG Research, released amid a spiralling knife crime epidemic, throws down the gauntlet to home secretary Sajid Javid who has said he is seeking more funding for police from the Treasury.
More than 100 people have been killed in London alone in violent crimes this year, with five stabbings recently taking place in six days.
A weighted sample of some 1,500 people was questioned about a government spending watchdog report which found police funding had reduced 19 per cent since 2010, and whether they thought it had a negative impact on public safety.
A total of 78 per cent said that it did have a negative impact, while just seven per cent said it did not and 15 per cent said they did not know.
In their 2017 manifesto the Conservatives sought to live up to their traditional claim to be the party of law and order by promising to “help Britain’s world-leading police forces and prosecutorial services to fight crime”.
But among those who said they intended to vote Conservative at the next election, a huge 83 per cent said they believed cuts had a negative impact.
The report from the National Audit Office published earlier this year found there had been a 19 per cent drop in funding for police since the Conservatives took power in 2010 and that an “effective” service was at risk.
It said the number of police employees had as a result fallen from 244,497 to 199,752, and the proportion of reported crimes resulting in a charge or summons had fallen from 15 per cent in 2015 to 9 per cent now.
It read: “While no police force has failed financially, there are signs emerging that forces are finding it harder to deliver an effective service.
“As with local government, legal requirements prevent commissioners and forces from running deficits. Given this, the department recognises that any problems caused by funding reductions are likely to manifest themselves in a force being unable to provide an adequate policing service rather than in financial failure.
“For example, the time it took to charge an offence increased from 14 days for the year ending March 2016 to 18 days for the year ending March 2018.”
Amid the recent spate of violent crime in the capital, home secretary Mr Javid has been under increasing pressure to come forward with more funding to support cash-strapped forces in London and further afield.
Earlier this week he challenged chancellor Philip Hammond to give police the “resources they need” in the face of a surge in knife crime.
Police chiefs have warned they are at “tipping point” as they face losing another 10,000 officers because of a £420m pension shortfall.
In her party conference speech the prime minister signalled that the government would end austerity, promising an increase in public funds after a major review of government spending due next year.
But if the police do not now get extra money, the data suggests the Tories could be held accountable for further increases in crime.
A large majority of 68 per cent of people also disagreed with a government request that police forces should begin recording incidents of misogyny, even where crimes have not been committed.
Just 6 per cent backed the idea that they should be recorded and 10 per cent did not know.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Police officers do vital work, and we are on the front foot in engaging with them.
“The policing minister has spoken to leaders in every force in England and Wales to better understand the demand and changing nature of crime faced by forces.
“Overall, public investment in policing has grown by over £1bn from 2015-16 to 2018-19, including counter-terrorism policing, local policing and funding for national programmes.”
Source note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,506 GB adults online between 6 and 9 November. Data are weighted. BMG is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules