Home Secretary accused of misleading public on policing figures

WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols is one of five Cheshire Labour MPs accusing Home Secretary Priti Patel of ‘cheap politicking’ by presenting allegedly inaccurate Cheshire Police numbers in a Conservative Party election broadcast.

Ms Nichols, is among five Labour MPs to sign a letter asking Ms Patel to publicly put the record straight.

The April 6 broadcast offended the MPs whose Labour colleague David Keane is standing for re-election as Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
Their letter reads: “During the broadcast, you claimed that: ‘Only Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners are ensuring that we have more police officers on our streets’.
“This is categorically untrue. The fact is that Cheshire had 2,142 officers in 2010 which sunk to an all time low of 1,919 officers under the previous Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in 2014.”
The MPs added: “We are proud that our Labour PCC has continued to deliver and that officer numbers now stand at 2,136 (end of 2020/21 financial year) and will be 2,224 before the end of this (2021/22) financial year.”

Ms Nichols said: “The Conservatives cut more than 20,000 police from the streets of England and Wales as well as support staff. They closed down magistrates courts, they closed down police stations.
“Now they seem to think they can convince people they are on the side of constituents across Cheshire with cheap politicking that is divorced from the facts on the ground.”
She added: “David Keane is determined to strengthen community and neighbourhood policing and has already delivered a dedicated police officer, PCSO and community police base for each and every community in Cheshire.”
The letter has also been signed by Chester MP Chris Matheson, Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Justin Madders, Halton MP Derek Twigg and Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols.
It concludes: “We believe that our constituents have the right to a free and fair PCC election, with all candidates and parties showing the common courtesy and respect to accurately represent their opponents’ records.”
In response, a Government spokesperson said: “Only the Conservatives will put more police on our streets. We have already recruited 6,620 new officers and are on track to recruit 20,000. We are giving our police the powers and resources they need to cut crime and lock up violent offenders for longer.”