Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2021 Comments on Tackling Violence

The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 27 March 2021.

On streets across the country, we are witnessing the devastating impact of a decade of the Tories being soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime. Under the Conservatives, violent criminals have never had is so good.

This election is a choice between the Labour Party who is serious about tackling the Tory rise in violent crime or the Conservatives who have slashed police numbers and let violent crime rise in every part of the country. Communities are now having to deal with 200 violent crimes an hour, while the number of violent offences being charged have plummeted to less than 7 per cent.

Labour Councils, PCCs and Mayors have made huge impacts by standing up for their communities in the face of Tory cuts. However, since their inception they have had one hand tied behind their back, when battling this Conservative UK Government whose cuts have resulted in huge crime rises on their watch.

In these elections, Labour has a plan to tackle the Tory rise in violent crime, put more police on our streets and put victims at the heart of the criminal justice system.