Osborne: Riots will not change police plan
Source: Agencies |
August 14, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BRITAIN'S Finance Minister George Osborne said yesterday the country must tackle its "deep-seated" social problems after widespread riots last week but said it would stick to its plan to reduce police numbers.
He said some communities had been left behind by the rest of the country and it was up to society and the government to re-engage with those groups who felt isolated and to make sure they know the difference between right and wrong.
"There are very deep-seated social problems which we need to tackle," he told BBC radio.
"There are communities that have just been left behind by the rest of the country. There are communities that are cut-off from the economic life-blood of the rest of the country."
The government has been criticized by some for going ahead with planned police budget cuts at a time when the nation watched with dismay as police often appeared helpless in the face of hundreds of youths looting shops and setting fire to businesses and homes during four days of riots.
But Osborne, who has pledged severe public spending cuts to deal with a record budget deficit, said the problems could not only be solved by throwing money at them.
He said the government remained committed to its plan which will take 2 billion pounds (US$3.26 billion) out of the police budget, meaning a loss of about 30,000 jobs.
He said some communities had been left behind by the rest of the country and it was up to society and the government to re-engage with those groups who felt isolated and to make sure they know the difference between right and wrong.
"There are very deep-seated social problems which we need to tackle," he told BBC radio.
"There are communities that have just been left behind by the rest of the country. There are communities that are cut-off from the economic life-blood of the rest of the country."
The government has been criticized by some for going ahead with planned police budget cuts at a time when the nation watched with dismay as police often appeared helpless in the face of hundreds of youths looting shops and setting fire to businesses and homes during four days of riots.
But Osborne, who has pledged severe public spending cuts to deal with a record budget deficit, said the problems could not only be solved by throwing money at them.
He said the government remained committed to its plan which will take 2 billion pounds (US$3.26 billion) out of the police budget, meaning a loss of about 30,000 jobs.
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