Cash to combat violent crime 'a drop in the ocean', says Hove MP

MP Peter Kyle wrote to the Home Secretary last month to urge him to set up a taskforce on violent crime for Brighton and Hove, to urgently address the rising levels of violent crime in the city. Brighton MPs Caroline Lucas and Lloyd-Russell-Moyle also supported the call for action.

In Brighton and Hove, violent crime has risen by 108 per cent since 2011, and there were more than 5,739 incidents of violence recorded in the first quarter of 2019, Mr Kyle said.

The MP has welcomed the Government’s action, but raised concerns over the real-term cuts to funding which render the cash boost ‘a drop in the ocean’.

He said: “Any money provided which will help our police fight violent crime is hugely appreciated. I'm also immensely pleased that a combined effort from the city's MPs has helped to bring £1.34 in to our force by piling pressure on the government.

"However, it's disappointing to have to remind the Home Secretary that analysis of National Audit Office data shows that our Sussex Force experienced a drop in funding which totalled £57,256,043 in real-terms over the last eight years, making the £1.34 a mere drop in the ocean.

"The true, effective way to combat violent and sexual crime is to have more bobbies on the beat and more community police in our schools.”