Police Cuts 'Will Weaken Law And Order'

Police cuts could lead to weaker law and order on the streets, Ed Miliband will warn today as he calls on the Government to "learn from the riots".

Later today, the Labour leader will visit Lewisham in south London, one of the sites of the disorder earlier this month.

It comes as the Metropolitan Police release photos of the people officers want to speak to in connection with their investigation.

They hope members of the public will help them name the individuals in the images.

Mr Miliband will link the riots to the need to have more officers on the streets when he goes to the area today.

He wants to put pressure on the Government to reverse cuts to the amount of money given to police forces.

He also opposes plans for directly elected commissioners which could cost £100m to implement.

"Today we are launching a campaign to force this reckless Government to think again on police cuts that can only weaken the forces of law of order on our streets when there is such widespread concern over the safety of our communities," he will say.

"If there is one lesson we should all learn from the riots, it is that it was crucial to have our police bravely standing between home and shops on the one hand - and lawlessness on the other.

"The Conservatives are talking tough but their words are hollow," he is expected to say.

"They are speaking hollow words when, rather than making sensible savings that protect front line services, this Government is insisting that it will press ahead with cuts that go too far and too fast.

"They are speaking hollow words when this Government insists on spending £100m to create a new tier of politicians through elected police chiefs at the same time as cutting the number of officers on the street.

"And they are speaking hollow words when David Cameron pledges the Treasury will stand behind policing costs during the riots but has done no such thing, leaving forces across the country with the prospect of making even deeper cuts than they are currently planning."

Mr Miliband hopes to be able to force a vote in Parliament on the issue.

But in the weeks since the riots, the Home Secretary defended the budget cuts and said they were not going to be as dramatic as some feared.

While Labour have cited the figure showing the cuts amount to 20% in real terms, Theresa May argues they are smaller in cash terms.

Mrs May has said they equal a 4% reduction in the first year, 5% in the second, 2% in the third and 1% in the fourth year.

Much of this money can be saved by cutting red tape and freezing pay and is a necessary part of cutting the deficit, she has said.

But Labour say slashing spending will lead to 16,000 fewer officers across England and Wales.