Sarah Gibson, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Chippenham, has strongly criticised the government's Spending Review, accusing them of failing to adequately fund frontline policing and leaving communities in Wiltshire and across the UK vulnerable.
"Years of Conservative neglect have left our police overstretched, underfunded, and unable to properly tackle neighborhood crime," Gibson stated following the Chancellor's announcement.
"Today's statement fails to deliver the investment needed to get officers back on the beat."
Gibson highlighted that the Chancellor's announcement fell "woefully short" of addressing the funding crisis faced by police forces. She pointed out that local police chiefs may be forced to raise council tax to compensate for the lack of central government support.
The MP also criticised the government's ongoing failure to address the unique challenges of rural policing, reiterating the Liberal Democrats' call for a "Countryside Copper Guarantee." Gibson emphasised that rural areas like Chippenham are consistently overlooked, despite repeated appeals for increased support.
"This was a crucial opportunity to rebuild trust and capacity in our local services. Instead, it is another bitter disappointment.
"Without a serious commitment to policing, communities will be left to pay the price, while the Government offers little more than empty promises."
Gibson reaffirmed her dedication to campaigning for fairer funding for Wiltshire's police services, stating, "I will continue to campaign alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues to secure proper investment in Wiltshire’s police services. People deserve to feel safe in their own communities—and that means real officers on the ground, not vague promises from Whitehall."
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