Spending Review: A bad day for the Met

There will be significant cuts to the numbers of police officers in London following Labour’s latest spending review. 

The Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, warned of "eye-watering" cuts as the police force try to make up for a £200 million budget shortfall. 

Cuts to specialist police departments, including forensics, are now likely. 

The government has also been criticised for failing to back Liberal Democrat plans in Parliament to guarantee minimum levels of neighbourhood police.

Bobby Dean MP said:
“After years of cuts to the police by the previous Conservative Government, officer numbers are set to fall again following Labour’s latest Spending Review.

“We need a return to proper community policing, where local officers are embedded in the communities they serve.”