Police Chiefs warn on funding shortfall

Met Commissioner Mark Rowley, alongside five other chief constables, has formally urged Labour leader Kier Starmer to allocate substantial additional funding to address the government's policing and crime reforms.

Mounting social unrest, exacerbated by online misinformation, alongside escalating threats from organized crime — including cyber-crime and terrorism — are significantly straining police resources. This pressure is set to intensify with proposed changes to sentencing laws, which would eliminate prison terms of less than a year and accelerate the early release of offenders, leading to thousands of additional criminals being “free” to reoffend.

Rowley has cited data suggesting that every £1 invested in policing generates a £4 boost to GDP, as he appeals for an extra £300mn in funding. In response, the government has highlighted its £700mn allocation to the probation service — tasked with managing the influx of released offenders — as well as its recently announced £4.7bn investment in new prisons.

With Home Office budgets facing imminent cuts, the prospects of securing the requested funding appear increasingly slim.