Sir Keir Starmer will today promise a named, contactable police officer for every neighbourhood in England and Wales as he delivers a ‘reset’ of his stumbling premiership.
The Prime Minister is using a speech at a glitzy location to unveil six ‘milestones’ that Labour should have achieved by the time of the next general election in 2029.
Among his pledges, Sir Keir will guarantee that every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable police officer responsible for dealing with local issues.
He will describe the move as ‘a relief to millions of people scared to walk their streets they call home’ and promise £100million to support neighbourhood policing.
The PM’s pledge will be a recommitment to Labour’s pre-election vow to put 13,000 more ‘bobbies on the beat’.
But the Tories accused Sir Keir of ‘misleading’ the public and claimed only a third of the 13,000 new recruits would actually be full police officers.
Before the election, Labour promised 13,000 extra police officers, PCSOs and special constables, which would bring the total police workforce to a level above its 2010 peak.
The Conservatives said this would be made up of 3,000 officers being diverted to neighbourhood policing from the existing workforce, 4,000 PCSOs, and 3,000 special constables, who are unpaid volunteers.
They pointed to recent reporting that the Home Office had only requested funding for the recruitment of 3,000 fully warranted officers.
Sir Keir Starmer (pictured in January with PCSOs) will promise a named, contactable police officer for every neighbourhood as he delivers a ‘reset’ of his stumbling premiership
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour’s action was aimed at ‘rebuilding the vital connection between the public and the police’
But the Tories accused Sir Keir of ‘misleading’ the public and claimed only a third of 13,000 new recruits would actually be full police officers
Sir Keir’s speech has been billed as setting out the ‘next phase’ of his Government and his ‘plan for change’ for Britain.
He will say: ‘My Government was elected to deliver change, and today marks the next step. People are tired of being promised the world, but short-term sticking plaster politics letting them down.’
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already branded the speech an ’emergency reset’ after a challenging first five months in office for Sir Keir.
The PM is facing ongoing protests from pensioners, farmers and businesses over Labour’s tax and spending plans.
Sir Keir has also lost a Cabinet minister over a fraud row, been forced to sack Sue Gray as his chief of staff, and suffered a damaging row over his ‘freebies’.
Police numbers fell following the 2010 election, before rising again after 2019 as the previous Tory government pledged to recruit 20,000 police officers.
While the number of officers reached record levels, the number of PCSOs and special constables continued to decline.
The promise of a named officer for each community is intended to improve relations between the police and the public.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: ‘Our neighbourhood policing guarantee is about more than just increasing numbers. It’s about rebuilding the vital connection between the public and the police.
‘This marks a return to the founding principles of British policing – where officers are part of the communities they serve.’
‘Through this visible, responsive police presence in every neighbourhood, we will restore the trust and partnership that lies at the heart of keeping our communities safe.’
Chris Philp, the Tory shadow home secretary, said: ‘Fewer than a third of Labour’s 13,000 neighbourhood police are actually new police officers.
‘What’s more, the £100 million being made available will only cover less than a third of what is needed to recruit, train and pay new officers and PCSOs, which will undoubtedly lead to cuts elsewhere.
‘The Conservatives recruited over 20,000 extra police officers and gave the police an extra £922million for policing this year, ensuring the police could protect the public and prosecute more criminals.
‘Starmer has once again misled the public by claiming to recruit an extra 13,000 officers when the actual number is 3,000, and even that is not properly funded.’