Greater Manchester MPs hit back over police cuts

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

As sources close to the campaign suggest that the by-election in Oldham East is set to be very close the issue of police cuts is likely to have a real impact.

During the general election the Lib Dem candidate, Elwyn Watkins, promised 155 more police officers for Greater Manchester. In reality they have cut 1,387 police officers.

With over 4,000 people signing the petition, today all of Greater Manchester’s Labour MPs issued an open letter challenging the home secretary to think again.

Open Letter from Greater Manchester Labour MPs

Greater Manchester Police has announced that it could cut up to 1,400 frontline police officers.

At the general election the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives promised more police on the streets in Greater Manchester. But instead after the votes were counted they chose to cut the police.

Greater Manchester residents are paying the price for the broken promises of the coalition. These cuts to frontline policing will reduce the levels of police officers to pre 1997 levels.

The coalition is taking big risks with public safety by cutting the police budget. Being a victim of crime has a deeply negative impact on people’s lives. Cutting frontline police officers is not only misguided but is also thoroughly reckless.

We will be writing to the Home Secretary informing her that we believe their decision is wrong. More and more people are joining our campaign to get the government to think again.

To join our campaign please visit www.999wrongcutswrongtime.com

Yours,

David Heyes MP, Ashton-Under-Lyne
Graham Stringer MP, Blackley and Broughton
David Crausby MP, Bolton North East
Yasmin Qureshi MP, Bolton South East
Julie Hilling MP, Bolton West
Ivan Lewis MP, Bury South
Andrew Gwynne MP, Denton and Reddish
Jim Dobbin MP, Heywood and Middleton
Rt.Hon. Andy Burnham MP, Leigh
Yvonne Fovargue MP, Makerfield
Tony Lloyd MP, Manchester Central
Rt.Hon. Gerald Kaufman MP, Manchester Gorton
Rt.Hon. Paul Goggins MP, Manchester Wythenshawe
Michael Meacher MP, Oldham West and Royton
Rt.Hon. Simon Danczuk MP, Rochdale
Hazel Blears MP, Salford
Jonathan Reynolds MP, Stalybridge and Hyde
Ann Coffey MP, Stockport
Kate Green MP, Stretford and Urmston
Lisa Nandy MP, Wigan
Barbara Keeley MP, Worsley and Eccles South