Fight goes on to protect the thin blue line

Jim McMahon (r) with Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Police Minister

Labour’s shadow police minister Jack Dromey visited Oldham yesterday to congratulate his party’s candidate Jim McMahon on his campaigning against cuts to Greater Manchester Police.

The two men visited Oldham Police Station — whose custody cells have been closed — to draw attention to the impact of police cuts.

Mr Dromey said: “Greater Manchester Police has already had more than £175million slashed from its policing budget. As a result, it has lost more than 1,500 police officers and over half of the front desks have been closed, including Oldham’s Failsworth and Royton stations. The jobs of five bobbies a week are being lost.

“Last week, Labour forced the Chancellor to abandon a dangerous 25 per cent cut to the police literally the day before the Spending Review. As a result of the campaign by Jim and his Labour colleagues, along with the police and public in Manchester, Greater Manchester Police will not have to cope with the further extreme cuts planned by Osborne.

“With Jim, we will continue to fight for what local people want, local police to ensure their safety and security where they live and work in Oldham.”