Only Plaid Cymru is willing to stand up for local policing its deputy leader has claimed. Helen Mary Jones, the Plaid Cymru candidate in Llanelli, said that Plaid’s calls for Wales to take responsibility for policing were focused on protecting the service from the sharp end of Westminster cuts whilst ensuring crime prevention was decided on local needs. Plaid Cymru’s standpoint has received support from within Welsh police forces, the Welsh Local Government Association and amongst the people of Wales.
Ms Jones said it was appalling the way Conservatives and Lib Dems were imposing cuts on front-line police officers in Wales. She also stated being staggered that Labour was prepared to ignore these cuts and would continue to want decisions on police jobs and community safety to be made by Tories in Westminster.
Helen Mary Jones, said:
“The cuts that are being imposed on front-line policing in Wales by the Tories and Lib Dems should not be underestimated. We are very likely to see close to the equivalent of an entire police force worth of staff being lost. That is going to have a devastating impact on law and order in Wales.
“Plaid Cymru is the only party in Wales that is calling for responsibility over keeping our communities safe and policing transferred to Wales. We want to see more police officers on the beat and safer communities in Wales. We are backed in this call from within the police forces of Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association whilst a recent opinion poll highlighted that 56.2% of people in Wales back Plaid’s view.
“At the same time, Labour is fully in agreement with the Tories and Lib Dems on this. Labour actually thinks that it is better to have the future of our police determined by Tories in Westminster rather than the people of Wales. Labour’s failure to protect policing in Wales should not be rewarded.”
Ron Davies, Plaid Cymru’s candidate in Caerphilly added:
“Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems all feel our police officers should be controlled by Westminster where the cuts are being proposed. How any of these can claim to be standing up for Wales when they are happy to see these cuts inflicted from Westminster is staggering.
“Only Plaid Cymru want our police forces to be run with local concerns and local knowledge at the heart of decision making. We believe this will result in more effective Welsh solutions to making our communities safer.
“The Tories, Labour and Lib Dems are all the same. There is only one real alternative to Westminster police cuts that will protect Welsh communities and that is Plaid Cymru. Plaid in government standing up for our police service is the last thing Cameron and Clegg want.”
