The Labour Party has branded Boris Johnson’s strategy for tacking gang related crime “waffle”, claiming that “tory cuts in police numbers in the 1990s” are responsible for much of the crime Mr Johnson is now campaigning against.
Earlier today the Conservative Mayoral candidate announced a five point strategy to tackle gang crime in the capital, promising to take action including making “designing out crime a key priority in the London Plan so we don’t make the mistakes of the past.”
Johnson also promised to “drive out political correctness” adding “this is not about one section of the community in London.”
These comments have already been criticised by Green Party Mayoral candidate Siân Berry who said they were “an implication that he will increase the targeting of young black Londoners.”
A spokesperson for incumbent Mayor and Labour candidate Ken Livingstone said:
“Tory cuts in police numbers in the 1990s unleashed a crime wave in London with murder, rape and other serious crimes shooting upwards whereas since police numbers were increased under Ken Livingstone murders have been cut by 18 percent since 2000, and by 60 from their peak in 2003-04, from 204 to 148, on an annual basis this year.”
“The Tory cuts imposed on youth provision made the situation among young people worse which is why under the Mayor £70 million is being allocated to youth provision over the next three years.”
“The waffle of Boris Johnson’s article today contrasts to the tough decisions to pay for the increase in police numbers taken by Ken Livingstone, and the £70 million in funding for youth provision, that will get this problem under control.”
“Boris Johnson’s position would produce no improvement in youth crime as it was Tory reductions in police numbers and cuts in youth facilities that originally worsened the situation.”
