Tory crime commissioner candidate for Hampshire says he will protect Portsmouth's marine policing unit

Michael Lane made the pledge to save the Portsmouth-based team, which has been under threat amid an on-going funding crisis – even though the move to slash the unit’s budget came from the Conservative government.

Now, Mr Lane says he is lobbying the home secretary Theresa May to preserve the team.

He said: ‘The marine unit is an essential component of our security. As a police area with significant coastline and major ports, our economy depends on free and safe passage.’