Kennedy and Hughes visit Brixton to support Crime Crackdown

6.18.08pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Apr 2004

Lib Dems are working hard to tackle crime and turn round Labour's neglect

Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy today joined Mayoral Candidate Simon Hughes and London Assembly candidate Caroline Pidgeon in visiting Brixton to hear about work being done to tackle crime. They heard from local residents, police, Lib Dem Councillors and other organisations about the work being carried out to create a safer area.

And new figures just released show that across Lambeth, street crime and burglary are at their lowest levels in more than four years, with street crime down a massive 48% since Labour lost control of the council in April 2002.

Overall there were more than 4,000 fewer offences compared to 2002/3, and the 7.8 per cent reduction is an improvement on the London wide reduction of 1.8 per cent. Vehicle crime in Lambeth is down 19.2 per cent, robbery down 17.9 per cent, residential burglary down 16.3 per cent, street crime down 12.2 per cent and gun crime down 9 per cent.

Cllr Charles Anglin said: "By working with the local community, we are succeeding in cracking down on the criminals. We know that there is more to be done, but Liberal Democrats are working hard with others to make a difference".

He added: "We need to get Lib Dem Simon Hughes elected as Mayor so we can get extra support from City Hall to do even more to tackle crime".

Simon Hughes, who recently launched his manifesto, has pledged that each ward in Lambeth would get a minimum of 4 police officers and 4 community support officers on the beat.

Before they lost control, Labour Councillors were slammed by their own government for failing to tackle street crime in Lambeth.

(Photo: Charles Kennedy MP, Simon Hughes MP, Cllr Caroline Pidgeon and Cllr Charles Anglin talking to local police)

ENDS