Saqib Bhatti, MP for Meriden, has called for the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to be scrapped and powers handed to the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street.
Saqib was speaking in the House of Commons, in a Westminster Hall debate on Knife crime in the West Midlands led by Suzanne Webb, MP for Stourbridge. Saqib also highlighted that burglaries are higher in areas run by Labour PCCs. This follows recent analysis of ONS crime statistics showing that areas represented by Labour PCCs had 45% more burglaries, with an average of 5.5 per 1,000 people compared to areas with Conservative PCCs having 3.8.
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, Chris Philp, closing the debate responded to Saqib’s question on scrapping the West Midlands PCC by saying it was a “proposal I will take away from this morning and consider it very, very carefully, indeed, given the serious problems that have been outlined.”
The Minister also urged the Labour PCC to “think again” at his plans to close police stations across the West Midlands. This follows on from Saqib’s campaign to protect public-facing facilities at Chelmsley Wood Police Station following the Labour PCC’s proposed closure of Solihull Police Station.
Speaking in the debate Saqib said:
“I thank my Hon. Friend for giving way and securing this important debate. She's making a really passionate and important speech on this topic which affects so many.”
“I was saddened to hear about what happened in the town of my birth, in Walsall, as well. Just building on that point, a recent report also showed that burglaries are also higher under any Labour Police and Crime Commissioner.”
“Is it not now just very, very clear, the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner is completely failing in his task and brings into question whether we should even have a Police and Crime Commissioner, isn't it time to scrap the PCC in the West Midlands?”
Following the debate, Saqib said:
“We heard, from MPs across the House, just how the Labour PCC is failing. Despite the Government delivering the highest number of police officers in UK history, crime under Labour PCCs continues to be higher.”
“I have long campaigned against the proposed closure of Solihull Police Station by Labour’s PCC. Along with the lack of public-facing facilities at Chelmsley Wood Police Station, this puts the safety of my constituents at risk and does nothing to tackle the concern around anti-social behaviour. The Labour PCC is clearly more concerned with his mayoral bid than protecting my constituents and residents across the West Midlands.
“With a record of failure, I can see why nobody from Labour came to the debate to defend his record. One thing is clear, the Police and Crime Commissioner powers need to be handed to the Mayor of the West Midlands, and the Labour PCC position scrapped.”
