February 13, 2001 9:51: WE would all like to see crime levels lower and probably agree that increasing police numbers has a key part to play in achieving such a reduction. That is why the Government is working with police forces to boost recruitment and improve retention of experienced officers.

But the irony of local Tory MP Dominic Grieve seeking to use recent public concern to attack the governments record on crime and police resources is sickening a clear attempt to get his and his partys name in the papers as some sort of guardians of the peace, and score cheap political points. I suggest he reviews the facts:

Since Labour came to power in 1997, recorded crime nationally has fallen by seven per cent, and the British Crime Survey (which attempts to analyse all crime, including that which is not recorded) shows a fall of ten per cent. This Government will be the first in 40 years to finish its term with lower crime than it started.

Over the 18 years of Conservative government, overall crime levels doubled, violent crime in particular rose 166 per cent and convictions fell by a third. The increase in overall crime was higher than in any other major western country over the same period.

The chance of being a burglary victim increased from one in 32 to one in 13.

The chairman of the Police Federation says the principal reason for the fall in police numbers over the last seven years was "the damage that was done by the decision of the last Government to take housing allowance away from new recruits".

Because of this Governments intervention, recruitment has increased 74 per cent this year, with 2,238 more recruits than last and 43 of those will be joining the Thames Valley force.

The Governments Comprehensive Spending Review funding plans cater for an increase in police by 2004 of 9,000 more than previously planned.

There is no clear Conservative policy on funding of policing, but given their commitment to reducing public spending to a level that is £16bn lower than in Labours plans, prospects for policing would look bleak if they win the next election.

Although I agree that we do need more police, as the Minister of State, Home Office Charles Clarke pointed out in his response to Mr Grieves question two weeks ago, there were actually 53 more officers serving in the Thames Valley force in September 2000 than there were in March 1997 when Labour came to office. A BFP story omitted this fact, which is unfortunate, because in doing so you helped Mr Grieve draw a veil over his partys poor record on police resources.

I spent a recent night on shift with the Wycombe force. It was clear to me they are working flat-out to keep crime rates down, but that there are real attrition and morale problems, and that there is a real need for further targeted assistance.

I will be writing to the Home Secretary to ask that special attention be given to the particular issue that our local force has to tackle.

Stephen Lathrope, Labour prospective parliamentary candidate, Beaconsfield