Baird must come clean on confused anti-cuts message

Liberal Democrat Police & Crime Commissioner candidate Peter Andras has called on Vera Baird, his Labour opponent, to spell out exactly how she will carry out her stated intention to use her position to ‘fight the Tory cuts’ to policing.

Peter’s comments follow an interview given by shadow Chancellor Ed Balls at his party’s autumn conference in which he stated “I can make no commitment now to reverse any of those cuts”. Ms Baird has pledged, if elected, to maintain Police & Community Service Officer (PCSO) numbers and increase the numbers of police officers.

Peter said:

“There are a number of questions that the Labour candidate for this position needs to answer, because at the moment there is a lot of confusion being caused by differences in what she is saying here in the North East and what her party is saying to people nationally."

“Is the Labour candidate in line with her party? How is she going to resolve the contradiction between her personal position and the position of her party? It would seem to me to be more honest to stand as an independent and allow a Labour candidate whose views are more representative of those of the party at large to stand for the party.”

“I have clearly stated that I want to see the fullest possible protection of frontline policing services for the people living in the Northumbria force area. But I am realistic – there will be cuts to budgets and savings will have to be made. “

“To fulfil her promise, the Labour candidate would likely need to hike up the Council Tax precept charged for policing services, at a time when families’ budgets are already stretched. I’m not sure people will be willing to pay extra for their policing services just so the Labour Party can attack the government."

"At present, PCSOs are funded centrally by the Home Office. However, that central funding is about to end, meaning that the only place funding for PCSOs can come from is Council Tax payers."

"In practice, maintaining PCSO numbers in Northumbria would cost an extra £5.5m, equivalent to an estimated 15% rise in the Council Tax precept. In addition, as PCSOs are not spread evenly but the Council Tax precept is, residents of rural Northumberland and rural parts of Gateshead would in effect be asked to pay extra to subsidise urban policing."