Mr Mayor, fellow Councillors, I would like to speak in support of Councillor Dheer and Councillor Ball’s joint motion condemning the Conservative-led government’s cuts to London Policing.
In that same breath I would like to commend the Liberal Democrats by joining the Labour party deputy leader in authoring this motion. Mr Mayor, in so doing they have demonstrated how issues of such magnitude cross party lines, and also the right way to coalesce on concerns of importance to our residents.
May I start by voicing my appreciation to the Police force of Ealing, and indeed beyond the borough, who in the face of unprecedented riots and in trying circumstances, nonetheless performed their duties to the best of their abilities, and despite criticisms levelled against them did their utmost in restoring order to our streets.
Might I add that the total number of Police eventually flooded into London, a number totalling 16,000, was a mere 1,000 short of the number of Police officers trained thanks to previous Labour government’s investment.
You’ll forgive me for wondering aloud as to where we would have gained the reinforcements from were we left with a Conservative legacy.
I think it is an all too sad truth to state that cutting Police numbers in the wake of some of the most disturbing scenes of civil disorder and mass violence in recent memory, insults the people of Ealing, and this country and what’s more completely ignores their fears for the safety of their neighbourhoods, businesses and personal wellbeing.
Members of this chamber who were present at last night’s riot inquiry will be only too familiar with how heightened these concerns are in the wake of last summer.
Mr Mayor, fellow Councillors, let us talk bluntly about what we are facing because all too often the spin and choice use of the facts by more senior Tories than those to my left - would have you ignore the effect of cuts in favour of you hearing the pithier and sound bite rationales behind said cuts.
Theresa May would have us believe that these cuts will not effect frontline policing.
Let’s be clear; they have, they will.
It is ludicrous to suggest that any cuts, let alone those of such a size and speed, will not have an immediate or trickle down effect. It’s insulting to suggest that anyone would believe otherwise.
People are not ignorant as to the effects; and the effect is simple; less funding for the Police, less resources for the Police, less Police!
There were questions during the riots “where are the Police?” If, God forbid, the worst should happen once more, and these cuts go ahead, I fear that such a question as “where are the Police?” might find an answer in the minutes of the Spending Review.
The relish with which the axe wielding government cuts, is matched only by the dogged axe grinding of the Home Secretary.
The time has come for Theresa May to admit, that as with her pussycat she’s got it wrong. Otherwise the next time the Home Secretary is greeted by silence by the Police Federation it might just be because she’s culled all our officers!
I make a difference between senior Tories and colleagues to the right, because I suspect, that many of them share the concerns aired by Councillor Dheer, but for whatever reason fail to voice them, but that if they did it would only lend weight to this motion and in so doing achieve something.
Perhaps they should listen to the heir-apparent Boris Johnson who says now is not the time.
In describing Theresa May’s cuts, I would like to borrow a term more often than not used by Councillor Reen: this is no less than the salami slicing of our Police Force. A salami slicing that belies the Home Secretary’s choice of ignoring the concerns of our law abiding residents and instead persisting in an ideological drive
© Ara Iskanderian October 18 2011
