Yesterday Theresa May made a cold, calculated decision to violate the agreement to suspend political campaigning in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attack at London Bridge.  Standing on the steps of Downing Street behind the official prime ministerial coat of arms, she could have simply stuck to condemning an atrocity, calling for resilience and solidarity.  That indeed was the theme of the first half of her speech.  In the second half of her speech, she advanced political proposals, blew a dogwhistle about “far too much tolerance” of extremism, and declared: “Enough is enough.” 

Enough is enough, coincidentally enough, emblazoned the banners of police officers when they marched against police cuts imposed by Theresa May, who has been home secretary for six of the last seven years.  In 2015 – when championing yet another round of police cuts – May slammed the Police Federation for scaremongering and repeatedly “crying wolf” over the impact of such cuts. 

Listen to the damning verdict of Peter Kirkham – a former senior officer with the Metropolitan police who is, it’s fair to say, no leftie. “ The police service is in crisis as a result of the cuts,” he told Sky News yesterday. “ They’re being dragged from pillar to post.”  He said there had been none of the promised extra officers, just existing officers who had extra leave cancelled or hours extended, or officers taken from other areas.  But Kirkham went further: the government was “lying” over its claims that there were more armed police officers on the street. 

This morning, the Tories put up the hapless Karen Bradley, who ambled through a series of blundering interviews.  Piers Morgan repeatedly challenged the culture secretary on Good Morning Britain to confirm armed police officer numbers had declined: she refused to answer.  So given her refusal to tell the truth, let’s be clear: the Home Office figures for authorised firearms officers have declined from 6,976 in March 2010 to 5,639 in March last year. 

This morning, the Metropolitan police’s commissioner Cressida Dick was challenged over police numbers.  She’s in a tricky position: she can’t be seen to intervening in a general election campaign.  But she was clear nonetheless.  The police needed more resources, she declared. 

There are further questions requiring answers.  There have been reports one of the terrorist murderers had already been twice reported to the authorities for trying to recruit children into Islamic State.  His own friend had reported him after he had become radicalised, and he had apparently appeared on video alongside extremist preachers.  May’s operation is now criticising MI5 in the press, demanding they “keep up” with the evolving terrorist threat.  But remind me, who has been responsible for MI5 since 2010?  Because of her role as home secretary, this morning Steve Hilton – David Cameron’s former director of strategy – has demanded May’s resignation. 

Theresa May urged not to suppress report into funding of jihadi groups Read more

Too much tolerance of extremism, declares May. OK, prime minister, let’s have that conversation.  What about the reports last week of a government investigation into the foreign funding and support of extremist groups?  Apparently the report focuses on the role of the Saudi dictatorship and was supposed to have been published over a year ago.  Why hasn’t it been published?  Perhaps because it embarrasses a vicious regime armed to the teeth by the British government – a headchopping dictatorship that May has committed to becoming even closer to? 

Last night, Jeremy Corbyn demanded the immediate publication of the report, as well as challenging our relationship with the disgusting extremism-exporting regime in Riyadh.  He emphasised Labour would reverse Tory cuts to the police, as well as ensuring they had whatever powers they needed to stop those who seek to maim and kill.  It’s now up to the Tories to respond with a commitment to reverse the repeated cuts they have imposed on our police forces over the last few years. 

Theresa May is the prime minister.  Theresa May has been home secretary for six of the last seven years.  And – with Britain now suffering terrorist atrocities – it is Theresa May who has serious questions to answer.