Ridiculous cuts

THE saying that the Tories know the cost of everything but the value of nothing, could not be better exposed than by the recent revelations from prison officers. In fear of their lives when they go to work due to huge cuts in staff numbers and underinvestment in the service.
This is just the latest in a long line of tales of woe from services we rely on to protect us. Emergency services are currently being treated as a luxury instead of essential.
The fire service, police, ambulance and hospital services are now running with levels of staff unimaginable a few years ago. The system is being held together by their professionalism and dedication. Unfortunately cracks are beginning to appear and highly trained and qualified staff are leaving in droves out of frustration at the pressures put upon them.
Government ministers show little concern and deflect anger by announcing further investment. In reality, that investment will not kick in for years and still not bring staffing in those services anywhere near the level it was before they inflicted their savage cuts.
I would suggest that those same government ministers should spend a shift with a fire crew, police officer, paramedic or prison officer struggling to protect us when we are at our most vulnerable with ever diminishing resources. Austerity cuts can cost lives.
The money being spent on the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace would make a big difference to any one of those services. It appears that we aren’t “all in this together.’’