RUNCORN MP Mike Amesbury says a new report into police cuts should be a ‘wake-up’ call to government ministers.

The Weaver Vale MP was speaking after a report was published by the National Audit Office (NAO) - the government’s own spending watchdog – which found that forces are ‘struggling to deliver effective services to the public’ due to funding and staffing cuts.

Speaking in the Chamber, he said: “With frontline police officers cut by over 22,000 since 2010 and police forces such as mine in Cheshire having their budgets slashed by a massive £56 million—that is a fact—surely the National Audit Office report exposing the crisis in funding for our police service is a wake-up call to the Treasury.”

Replying, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss said it had ‘protected budgets’ but that the nature of crime was ‘changing and forces have to adjust’. She also highlighted a two per cent pay rise for officersk.

Speaking outside the chamber, Mr Amesbury said: “This is a real public safety issue.

“The government should listen to this warning form its own watchdog and take action to fund our forces properly”.