I told the House of Commons that six years of cuts to funding had harmed the capacity of South Yorkshire Police to fight crime and antisocial behaviour, and put officers at risk.

In a debate on police funding, I told the House of Commons that South Yorkshire had lost nearly 1 in 5 of its front-line police officers, and a quarter of civilian support staff, between 2011/12 and 2017/18. 

Constituents have told me of the growing impact of police cuts in local neighbourhoods where community policing and partnership building had reduced crime and anti-social behaviour, making people feel more positive about their communities. But the “thin blue line” provided by the police is now at breaking point.

You can read my full speech here.