Crime concerns

It is a bit rich of the Tories to be raising the issue of rising crime in the local area. This is the party that has so savagely cut the Met’s budget by £1billion since 2010.

Yet, at local level it is as though what head office is up to doesn’t matter, with Tory candidates busying themselves vocalising against crime.

The real contempt of the Tory Party for ordinary working people hit by crime was shown recently when the latest Justice Minister David Gauke came to Redbridge.

The minister did not even tell Council leader Jas Athwal he was in town. If he had, he would have learnt of the very real local concerns about crime.

Instead, Mr Gauke was rallying the Tory troops ready for the council elections in May.

The Tories don’t care about crime, indeed they are destabilising our communities with the cuts to police budgets. Recently, Tory councillors voted against a council motion calling for more police funding.

People are rightly concerned, as was recently evidenced by the huge rally on the subject, addressed by Labour MP Wes Streeting, in Clayhall.

I am sure the electorate will not be taken in by the Tory crocodile tears - now, or when they again lose interest in the issue once the May council elections are over.

Paul Donovan Labour Candidate for Wanstead Village