A NEWPORT MP has accused the UK Government of being "soft on crime".

Speaking in Parliament earlier this week, Newport East's Jessica Morden claimed the government had "relentlessly cut funding for police and the criminal justice system".

Earlier this month the government announced funding to recruit 20,000 new police officers. But, although the programme will be funded by the Home Office in its first year, it is unclear how it will be funded in future years. It has also been estimated the programme will only take officer numbers in Gwent to slightly below their 2010 levels.

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Speaking in the Commons, Labour MP Ms Morden said: “While there are promises in the Queen’s Speech to increase police funding and some powers, it is the Conservative Party that has been soft on crime by relentlessly cutting funding for police and the criminal justice system.

"Since the start of the UK Government’s austerity programme in 2010-11, the Gwent police budget has been reduced by 40 per cent in real terms.

"As the shadow home secretary (Dianne Abbott) said, cuts have consequences, and now the Tories are trying to pretend the consequences have nothing to do with them."

She added: “The police and crime commissioner for Gwent (Jeff Cuthbert) has confirmed that they are still waiting for clarity on funding. He said that while it appears that the first year (of Operation Uplift) will be funded by central government, there are still concerns about the government expecting them to raise more through the precept, which would fall on local taxpayers.

"We need the government to address how increased pension costs associated with the programme will be funded and, equally importantly, we need a long-term commitment.

"Our police and communities have been let down badly since 2010, and we need a government who will show by their actions how much they really value the contributions of our police officers and staff and ensure that they are always properly resourced and protected."