How James O'Brien Gives The Benefit Of Doubt To Police Cuts

11 September 2018, 15:24

James O'Brien always thought it wasn't plausible to cut the police without increasing crime, but this realisation gave him reason to give the Conservatives benefit of the doubt.

The LBC presenter said he was able to give the idea of police cuts the benefit of the doubt after reflecting back to a thought he had when the last Mayor of London made cuts to the fire service.

"It started with Boris Johnson, who was responsible for a lot of cuts to fire engines and fire stations, despite swearing blind and campaigning on the ticket that he would do no such thing.

"But at the time, he lived with his family in London and they would suffer, I used to argue, if they cut fire engines and fire stations.

"There's a curious contradiction at the heart of Conservative cuts and the thing that made me think they might be telling the truth when they said they could cut public services without affecting the quality of the public service."

James continued: "When a Conservative says to me we can cut the police without increasing crime, I kind of think that it doesn't sound very plausible, but they live in this country as well.

"So if cutting the police is going to make us less safe, you would be making you and yours less safe as well as me and mine.

"And so I am minded to give you the benefit of the doubt."