Police will be forced to deprioritise crimes like shoplifting and mobile phone thefts as a result of Rachel Reeves' spending review, it's been claimed.
The Chancellor's plans for a 2.3 per cent rise in police spending between 2023-24 and 2028-29 has dismayed police leaders, who insist the funding will leave a £1.2 billion shortfall.
Gavin Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said the money would not be enough to cover existing staff costs and put Labour's pledge to recruit 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers at risk.
He said budget shortfalls will require forces to make 'difficult choices' and some will 'struggle to make the numbers add up'.
Some have increasingly relied on borrowing, and the cost of debt is expected to rise by 49 per cent in the next three years.
