We should be able to rely upon the Conservative Party to take a hard line on law and order.  The Tories demand tough sentencing: a “be tough on crime; ignore the causes” approach.  It’s standard fare.

Why, then, did this Conservative-led Government pass a Bill that will stop someone who has committed a sexual offence against children being automatically barred from future work with children?  The Police, children’s charities, sporting organisations, and Head Teachers all warned against it.  The Government took no notice.

Why did this Conservative-led Government pass a Bill that will, every year, take the DNA of 17,000 suspected rapists off databases?
 
Why is Theresa May ignoring the estimate by the Police that the changes she has introduced in the operation of the DNA database will lead to 1,000 fewer crimes being solved every year?

Why is this Government closing the Forensic Science Service, putting the excellence and integrity of forensic evidence in jeopardy and risking the “cold case” archive that brings murderers and rapists to book, years after their crimes?

Why is the Government cutting 20% of the Police budget, losing 16,000 police officers, but spending £100 million to introduce elected Police Commissioners and pay these new politicians £120,000 a year?

It makes no sense.

Our Police Service does a difficult and dangerous job to keep our streets and communities safe from harm.

Next week, I will lay flowers in memory of Nina Mackay, a gutsy policewoman from Newham, murdered by a man she went to arrest.

When I meet our policemen and women at the memorial service, I will be able to look them in the eye.  I didn’t vote to make their job even harder.