WATCH: Home Office minister left red-faced after forgetting police officer figures
2 min read
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins has been left embarrassed after she was unable to say how many police officers there are in the UK.
She was left stumped while being grilled by Nick Ferrari on his LBC radio show.
Ministers are under enormous pressure following a wave of violent crime across London in recent weeks.
A leaked Home Office report suggested that there could be a link between rising crime levels and reductions in police numbers.
Asked by Mr Ferrari how many police officers there are in the UK, Ms Atkins said: "You're testing me, Nick.
"I'm not going to hazard a guess, I'm just going to front up and say I'm so sorry. That number's slipped my mind."
The veteran broadcaster responded: "You are a Home Office minister, minister. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have the figures?"
Ms Atkins replied: "It would be."
Her comments come after Amber Rudd unveiled the Government's new Serious Violence Strategy, where she called upon social media companies and the music industry to play their part in tackling rising gang crime.
The Home Secretary also doubled down on her claim that cuts to police services were not behind rising violent crime, despite a leaked Home Office document suggesting it might be.
Shadow Policing Minister Louise Haigh told PoliticsHome both Ms Atkins' blunder and Ms Rudd's defence proved ministers were "making it up as they go along".
“It’s time for Home Office ministers to stop digging after today’s shambolic launch," she said.
“Not only have they been ignoring key evidence on the link between police cuts and violent crime but they're attempting to defend it without knowing the basic facts and figures.
“This strategy was supposed to be evidence-based but its increasingly clear Ministers are making it up as they go along. It's time for them to step back, acknowledge they got it wrong and think again."
Watch Ms Atkins' interview with LBC below:
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