“TALE OF TWO GOVERNMENTS” AS TORIES SLASH POLICE NUMBERS IN ENGLAND
Official statistics released today shows that police officer numbers are up in Scotland under the SNP – despite a £2 billion cut to Holyrood’s block grant by Westminster in the last decade.
Since the SNP came to power in 2007, police officer numbers have risen by 1,017.
Meanwhile in England and Wales the Tories have slashed 20,000 police officers from service since coming into power in 2010.
The SNP has demanded the UK government fully funds any additional policing costs associated with Brexit – following reports that up to 400 Scottish police officers could be redeployed to deal with the aftermath of crashing out of the EU.
Commenting, SNP MSP Rona Mackay said:
“The SNP’s approach to justice is working - with over 1,000 extra police on our streets under the SNP and crime at historically low levels.
“This is a remarkable achievement considering the substantial cuts to Holyrood’s budget, and the Tories continuing to hold back £125 million owed to Scotland’s police service in VAT.
“Under the Tories, police numbers in England and Wales are being decimated. They’re at their lowest levels since the 1970s with services hammered to the tune of 20,000 officers.
“On justice it’s a tale of two governments – an SNP Government at Holyrood working tirelessly to make our streets safer and an austerity obsessed Westminster government causing irreversible damage to public services.”
Notes: