Labour Assembly Government Is Not Living Up To Rhodri's New Election Promises

12.00.00am GMT Tue 15th Feb 2005

Labour's new pledges to build safer communities has been attacked as hypocritical, as the party's Assembly Ministers have put a block on police force funding.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Leader Mike German said Labour's new, vague pledge - Your Community Safer - was totally undermined by the effect of Public Services Minister Sue Essex' decision to cap spending by the police.

Mr German said: "It defies belief that just a week after Labour AMs voted to prevent police forces spending the money they believe is necessary to fight crime and disorder, that Labour Party chiefs are saying they will make communities safer.

"The people of Wales will see straight through this charade. A poor grant settlement from the Home Office, and a miserly 1% increase in grant from the Labour Assembly Government meant that police authorities were looking to raise extra money through the council tax. But the Minister's treat of capping is forcing our police authorities to make cuts. South Wales Police is slashing its overtime budget. Gwent Police's chief constable has previously warned that officers will be taken off the street."

He contrasted Labour's plans with Liberal Democrat proposals which would put an extra 10,000 police on the streets - paid for by scrapping plans to introduce ID cards.

Mr German added: "ID cards did not prevent terrorism in New York or Madrid, there is no reason to believe they would make us safer here in Wales. Spending that money on additional police would offer much better value for money, and make people feel much safer in their communities." The Liberal Democrats pre-manifesto, launched in November, pledged to scrap ID cards, and re-invest the money to put 10,000 more police on the streets - cutting crime, and the fear of crime. In Wales that would amount to 500 extra police.