Conservatives "mislead" public over crime

4.57.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 29th Mar 2005

David Rendel MP, Graham Reeves and Councillors discussing crime in Thatcham with a young person.

Hot on the heels of the last accusation against the Conservatives for "misleading" the public over local income tax, last week's Tory 'spin' and 'scaremongering' over violent crime has angered local residents.

West Berkshire Council Leader Royce Longton said "The Conservative advertisements in our local newspapers seem to suggest that violent crime in the 'Newbury area' has risen to over 32,000 cases per year. It is only when you read the small print that you find that this figure relates to the whole Thames Valley. The truth of the matter is that violent crime in Newbury has hardly increased at all."

Graham Reeves of the Thatcham North Lib Dems said:

"Politicians should take their role as public servants very seriously. Honesty is vitally important in this business, and I know that Tory scaremongering has angered and frightened residents. West Berkshire has one of the lowest levels of crime in the country, and people have reacted badly to the Tories trying to tell them otherwise for electoral gain."

Cllr Billy Drummond, Executive Member for Public Protection, added:

"West Berkshire has one of the lowest crime rates in the UK, and crime generally has actually decreased by 8% under the Liberal Democrats. West Berkshire also has less than half the national average rate of violent crime."

ENDS