The comments made by Sarah Jones, the Shadow Minister for Policing and Fire, on 27 August 2020. Jones was referring to new ONS crime figures.
These figures show an expected reduction in most offences during lockdown. However, it is concerning that violence recorded by the police is already returning to pre-lockdown levels.
After a decade of cuts to police and preventative services, we need real action from the Government to tackle the issues that drive violence on our streets.
Comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 21 August 2020.
I am determined to ensure we use every possible tool to stop violent crime happening in the first place.
A key part of that mission is protecting children and young people and preventing them from falling into the clutches of criminals.
It is encouraging to see the progress these units are making, but we will continue our relentless drive to deliver the safer streets the law-abiding majority deserve.
Smaller charities work tirelessly in our communities and this funding will ensure they can continue providing life-changing support.
The comments made by Robert Buckland, the Secretary of State for Justice, on 19 August 2020.
This has been an unprecedented situation but thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff we have stopped coronavirus taking hold in prisons, which means we can now pause the early release scheme.
We continue to keep this decision under review, but independent public health experts have judged our approach effective and we continue to do all we can to help the NHS and prevent our staff and prisoners from being at risk.
The comments made by Yvette Cooper, the then Shadow Home Secretary, on 22 April 2015.
These figures show the first rise in recorded crime for ten years and expose the shocking complacency of David Cameron and Theresa May over crime and policing.
And it shows the risk posed by the Tories who the IFS have this morning confirmed have the most extreme plans for cuts of any political party – cuts which risk thousands more police officers being lost the next three years than in the last five.
Reports of violence against the person have increased by a fifth in the last year, sexual offences by over 30 per cent and reports of rape by 40 per cent. Yet the police are unable to cope and more criminals are getting away with these serious crimes.
Proceedings against violent criminals are down, prosecutions and convictions for rape are down, prosecutions and convictions in child abuse offences are down. That means more criminals are getting away with it under this Tory-Lib Dem Government because the police can’t keep up.
And crime is changing. Fraud, much of it online, continues to grow and much of it is still not recorded.
Under the Tories we’ve seen almost 17,000 police cut, longer waits for 999 calls and less justice for victims. Now they plan even more extreme cuts to policing in the next Parliament even though the police are already struggling to keep up. Chief Constables are warning that neighbourhood policing will cease to exist and that they will not be able to keep up with serious growing crimes.
At a time when the terrorist threat is rising, more crime is being reported and thousands more police officers are under threat – Labour is the only party with a plan to guarantee neighbourhood policing, by protecting over 10,000 police officers from Tory cuts in the next three years.
The Tories are no longer the party of law and order – Labour is the only party with a plan for community safety.
The comments made by Michael Ellis, the Solicitor General, on 7 August 2020.
This offender’s actions have brought significant distress and psychological harm to a vulnerable victim and her family. I am pleased that the judge has agreed to increase the offender’s sentence in order to take into account the harm that he inflicted through this attack.
The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 5 August 2020.
This Government is committed to giving police the resources they need and empowering them to use technologies to fight crime and keep the public safe. I am exceptionally impressed to see how Dstl is contributing to this priority through science and technology, which is directly benefiting crime reduction and providing better protection for our dedicated police officers.
This research and development is absolutely crucial to keeping our country and citizens safe and it is exciting to see the work come to fruition.
The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Justice Secretary, on 5 August 2020.
The Tories’ disastrous sell-off of courts in England and Wales has created a situation where dangerous offenders could now be released onto the streets.
This could threaten public safety as well as being another insult to the generation of victims who are being denied justice by endless delays.
Tory vandalism has created chaos and permanently damaged the justice system. It’s unbelievable that the Government plans to close further courts.
The Government must stop dithering over its roll out of Nightingale Courts. We urgently need more capacity to deal with the immediate crisis. The Conservatives must also promise to make no new plans to close more courts while in government.
The comments made by Sarah Jones, the Shadow Minister for Policing and Fire, on 3 August 2020.
Knife crime has risen as a result of Tory cuts to the Police and preventative services. The Government have spent years announcing summits, strategies, and taskforces – but they have failed to act, with knife crime continuing to rise across the country on their watch.
More warm words from ministers will not help communities across the country that are blighted by knife crime.
This Conservative Government needs to explain how it will fix the national knife crime crisis that was born on their watch.
The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 4 August 2020.
These figures show the large and growing impact crime has in rural areas.
The Tory cuts to policing have seen officer numbers fall sharply across the country, often leaving rural communities feeling abandoned.
These figures are yet another example of the Tories failing on crime.
Comments made by Robert Buckland, the Lord Chancellor, on 31 July 2020.
Judicial review will always be an essential part of our democratic constitution – protecting citizens from an overbearing state.
This review will ensure this precious check on government power is maintained, while making sure the process is not abused or used to conduct politics by another means.
I’d like to thank Lord Faulks and the other panel members for undertaking this important piece of work and look forward to their recommendations.