Johnson and Jowell issue SNT challenges to Tories

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Out campaigning in Hammersmith, Alan Johnson has issued a challenge to every Conservative candidate in London to back the capital’s safer neighbourhood police teams, after Conservative mayor Boris Johnson refused to guarantee their future.

Boris Johnson has previously criticised Labour’s safer neighbourhood teams as “pointless top-downery“, adding “I have no intention of imposing a one-size-fits-all model across the whole of London”.

In fact, the Safer Neighbourhoods scheme places dedicated teams of one sergeant, two constables and three community support officers in every neighbourhood, and the police work with local communities to solve isses specific to the local area.

Last week, Labour supporters ran a grassroots campaign to highlight to Londoners that police numbers are falling under Boris Johnson by 455 officers.

Today, Alan Johnson said:

“Labour will ensure that frontline policing is protected but the Conservatives won’t match this guarantee. The Conservative threat to frontline services is shown here in London where the future of local police teams is at risk from the Conservative mayor Boris Johnson. We are issuing a challenge to every Tory candidate in the capital today to say where they stand on Conservative Boris Johnson’s failure to protect the neighbourhood police guarantee.”

And Tessa Jowell added:

“Boris Johnson is cutting police numbers and has quit as chair of the police authority…The Conservatives would threaten the safety of our streets by refusing to match our commitment to frontline policing.”