Police need to be more focused on crimes that matter to voters, say Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss – iNews

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak said police need to be more focused on crimes that matter to voters as they addressed Tory members in the wake of a shooting of a nine-year-old girl in Liverpool.

At the latest Tory leadership hustings in Birmingham, both candidates said the culture in policing needed reforming.

Ms Truss pledged to introduce police force league tables if she becomes Prime Minister and Mr Sunak vowed not to let political correctness get in the way of tackling crime.

The candidates were asked what they would do to improve law enforcement, after the fatal shooting Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool.

Ms Truss said the wanted to see more police on our streets who are focused on the crimes we care about and said she would introduce league tables to monitor regional police performance.

Ms Truss said the culture in needed to change from the top and she also said schools should be opened for longer hours to prevent teenagers from being preyed upon by criminal gangs.

She also pledged to bring back grammar schools to improve education and opportunity for young people.

There is a serious problem in this country with gun crime, theres a serious problem with gangs, theres a serious problem with knife crime, and Im absolutely determined we get a grip on that, she said.

Mr Sunak said the Government must finish putting 20,000 more police officers on the streets.

And he agreed officers need to be focused on the right things and using the best techniques as he argued in favour of Stop and Search tactics.

What is clear is there are things that hold us back from getting to grips with our crime in this country, he said, adding: I wont let political correctness get in the way of keeping us safe.

Mr Sunak said he called his family to speak with his daughter who is the same age as the victim when he first heard about the shooting.

The leadership rivals made a bid to red wall voters to back them to block Labour from winning back seats in the West Midlands.

Ms Truss said she would unleash potential in areas like the West Midlands and accused Sir Keir Starmer of being yet another Labour party politician who doesnt believe in opportunity and doesnt believe in aspiration.

I will help us and I will make sure working with you that we win the next general election and we keep the West Midlands blue, she said.

Mr Sunak compared himself to former Tory PM Margaret Thatcher because she made difficult decisions adding thats the standard I hold myself to.

More:

Police need to be more focused on crimes that matter to voters, say Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss - iNews