Merseyside’s Police Commissioner has branded the Prime Minister’s new strategy to tackle crime as “emperor’s new clothing”.

Emily Spurrell also criticised Boris Johnson for launching his ‘Beating Crime Plan’ without properly consulting Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables.

She said: “This strategy was supposed to be a grand plan for cutting crime and building a safer country.

“In reality, it is superficial and populist. Boris has announced a series of measures he hopes will grab the headlines, but do nothing to actually tackle the root causes of crime.

“The few useful proposals contained within his strategy – such as providing victims with the contact details of officers – are already contained within the Victims’ Code of Practice.

“The idea of publicising league tables for answering calls is overly simplistic, hugely divisive and ill-informed. A busy urban area like Merseyside has completely different demands and challenges to a leafy, rural shire area. Calls need to be answered appropriately, not just quickly.

“Since 2010, this Government has decimated our police service and our criminal justice system. While finally, after years of protest, this is slowly being reversed, the Government is now putting a whole range of hugely-demanding additional requirements on to the shoulders of our police service and our partners, yet without the sustainable investment they so desperately require to deliver it.

“This announcement comes on hot on the heels of the launch of the Government’s new Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy which similarly laid out a whole range of extra responsibilities yet failed to provide the funding for them.

“Frustratingly, Ministers only briefed Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Chiefs just hours before they publicly launched this strategy. Where was the consultation? Surely they should have been listening closely to those who are working to build safer communities day in, day out, if they want to make changes which will actually have an impact.

“This strategy is yet another example of emperor’s new clothes – it fails to address the big issues and shows Boris is all soundbite, no substance.”

For those who think the above is a bit verbose, I have produced a two point summary.

1) Give me a bigger budget.

2) I am a member of the Labour Party.

Originally Posted by r4dent

For those who think the above is a bit verbose, I have produced a two point summary.

1) Give me a bigger budget.

2) I am a member of the Labour Party.

Your points miss out the fact that this is political, which is something that should NEVER have been mixed in with Policing.

Originally Posted by Sap33

Your points miss out the fact that this is political, which is something that should NEVER have been mixed in with Policing.

This is why having Police Commissioners is a bad idea. They cost the taxpayer an unnecessary fortune, and the post is more about politics than improving Policing, and obviously the Labour Commissioners will use their position to constantly kick the Government.

This right wing Tory Government is just looking for sound bites.

Action takes effort, application, and resource so very little will happen.

Originally Posted by Nash

This right wing Tory Government is just looking for sound bites.

Action takes effort, application, and resource so very little will happen.

Open both eyes - HM'S Opposition do exactly the same - it's politics, that's the way things are done.
One side says or does something and, no matter how laudable it is, the other side feels duty bound to criticise and complain.
It really is quite pathetic.

Originally Posted by Nash

This right wing Tory Government is just looking for sound bites.

Action takes effort, application, and resource so very little will happen.

You could equally say 'This left wing Labour opposition is just looking for soundbites' as basically what Emily Spurrell is doing is giving her own soundbite!