Boris Johnson today called on the Government to reconsider its plans to reduce police numbers following widespread rioting across the country.

The London Mayor claimed ministers should take “another look” at proposals to cut force budgets, and said officers needed to “get on and do what they signed up to do”.
Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, he described the case for cuts as frail while also condemning the violence seen in London as “a massive own goal”.
He also argued that those in authority needed to have their ability to instill discipline in youngsters restored.
“If you ask me whether I think there is a case for cutting police budgets in the light of these events then my answer would be no,” he said. “I think that case was always been pretty frail and its been substantially weakened.
“If you look at the position in London, obviously we’ve been able to make significant savings, we’ve been able to move money around and expand numbers.

“But if you look at what’s happening in Birmingham and Manchester and elsewhere; very troubling scenes.
“This is not a time to think about making substantial cuts in police numbers.”
Police forces in Britain face an array of reforms including reviews into pay and conditions, the creation of a new National Crime Agency and the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners - all set against the backdrop of dwindling budgets and job cuts.
The plan for the National Crime Agency, which is expected to be operational by December 2013, has been criticised for its lack of detail, particularly around cost.
But despite the criticism, the Government has shown no sign of altering its plans on police reform.
Police sources say they fear the desire to push ahead with proposals are based on the length the Coalition Government’s parliamentary term rather than what is best for the service
Mr Johnson went on to describe the police as having very “heavy restrictions that surround their conduct”.
He argued that it was perhaps not surprising that “they found the initial outbreak so difficult to deal with” given those restrictions.
The mayor also claimed that those in positions of authority had somehow lost their right to impose discipline.
“Let’s face it, what’s happened in our city and in our country in the last three or four days has been a massive own goal.
“Here in London you had people behaving with a complete lack of restraint and a complete lack of respect for the police. It was chilling.
“The lesson is that over 20, 30 years we’ve got into a situation where we have allowed people an endless sense of entitlement. Give adults and give teachers back the right to impose authority.
“I would like the benefit of the doubt to be in favour of adults and those who are in positions of authority.
“We need to give the police the courage of their convictions and get on and do what they signed up to do.”

 

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