PM's policing pledge is pie crust promise, isn't it minister?
27 July 2021, 08:24
Nick Ferrari accused PM of 'pie crust promise' over police pledge
Nick Ferrari clashes with Policing Minister Kit Malthouse over Boris Johnson's plan to give victims of crime a dedicated police officer.
It comes after full details of the government's Beating Crime Plan were released after a heavily criticised scheme to give victims of crime a named police officer to contact were unveiled at the weekend.
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said he supported the idea from the Prime Minister and revealed it is already part of the "victim's charter."
Read more: Boris Johnson to boost police stop and search powers under Beating Crime Plan
But, ever equipped with the facts, Nick told Mr Malthouse there were 5.4 million crimes committed in England and Wales last year.
Nick asked the Minister if he knew how many police officers there were across the 43 police forces in the UK.
The answer was 133,000. "Minister that works out at 41 crimes per officer, how is this going to be managed?"
"It's nonsense. It's a headline-grabbing stunt," Nick Ferrari challenged Mr Malthouse.
Accusing the Prime Minister of being a "proficient and efficient journalist," Nick said the pledge had grabbed the headlines.
"In reality, it boils down to a Mary Poppins, or a pie crust promise, easy to make, easy to break."
But, Mr Malthouse refuted this, claiming it was "not the case."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also dismissed the plans as a "ridiculous gimmick".
