Minister for police to visit

POLICING and fire minister, Rt Hon Nick Hurd will be coming to Portsmouth to meet with local businesses, politicians and councillors in a bid to cut crime.

The minister is due to meet with City Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson, tory councillor Donna Jones and Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan.

The city has seen crime rise by 10 per cent at the same time Hampshire has lost 1,000 police officers with businesses suffering over 200 break-ins in the last year.

Mr Morgan said: ‘You can’t cut 1,000 officers at a time when crime is rising and expect local people to suffer no consequences. The Government must realise that you can’t do safety on the cheap.’