MP Emma Reynolds calls for a stop to Police job cuts
Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds has released a statement on what she calls the “shocking” recent unrest seen in Wolverhampton and across the country.
In the statement, the MP who represents Wednesfield praises local people and the council for the clean up effort, pledges to give Police all the resources they need and calls on the Government to rethink plans to axe 16,000 Police jobs.
Full statement:
I am shocked and disgusted by the scenes we have witnessed in London and other cities around the UK. It is of great concern that we saw pockets of unrest break out last night here in Wolverhampton. There is no excuse whatsoever for this kind of violent disorder. The culprits need to be caught and punished. West Midlands Police have made a significant number of arrests and are working very hard to catch those responsible for the violence. If you have any information that can help them, I urge you to call them on 0800 096 0095.
I am reassured that our police acted robustly in Wolverhampton to limit the damage done, and our community stands together in defiance of the disruption caused by an unrepresentative few. I joined many other local people yesterday helping to clean up our streets in the centre and I am immensely grateful to the City Council who acted quickly to perform a major clean up operation.
Yesterday was a time for cleaning up, but today is a time for tough questions.
Today I have returned to Parliament to listen the Prime Minister’s statement and to attend the debate about the unrest. It is absolutely right that the Prime Minister cancelled his holiday to deal with this crisis. The government must ensure that the mindless looters face the full force of the law, but it is also the government’s responsibility to prevent people turning to crime in the first place. Over the coming months I will be asking how the government will address the root causes of criminality in our society, so that these disgusting scenes are never repeated. And it is now clear that government proposals to take 16,000 police officers off the streets over the next three years is profoundly dangerous and must be stopped.
As your MP, my priority is to make sure that the police are given all the powers and resources they need. I am in frequent contact with Wolverhampton’s Chief Superintendent, Neil Evans and the City Council’s leader, Roger Lawrence and Chief Executive, Simon Warren.
Above all, however, I am certain that our community can rise above these terrible events and show that we will not be defeated by mindless thugs.
