Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson’s vow to tackle rising rural crimewave during visit to North Yorkshire farmers
The Policing Minister has spoken of her confidence that the Labour Government will get to grips with tackling rural crime during a visit to a North Yorkshire farm.
After speaking to father and son farmers, Brian and Paul Phillips, about how poachers had targeted their land near Northallerton, damaging their property, and seeing "the particular challenges of rural crime”, Dame Diana Johnson said it was vital the police were properly equipped.
She also highlighted concerns over antiquated legislation relating to offences such as poaching after hearing police officers express frustration and said a task force had been set up to share best practice on tackling fly-tipping.
Dame Diana said: “I was keen to meet the farmers and to hear exactly what it means to them. What they were saying to me about having to replace gates and having their crops destroyed and just that fear that people feel. Every community, rural or urban, should not have to feel fearful about doing their job and living in a community.”
The Minister, who represents Hull North and Cottingham, said rural areas would benefit from the Safer Streets initiative, as every community would get a share of the 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and Specials by the end of the parliament and that the Government had set aside £200m in next year’s Police Settlement to kick start the uplift in police personnel.
She said she recognised challenges of policing large and sparsely populated areas in North and East Yorkshire, but the resources being pumped into neighbourhood policing would mean having “named officers in communities” that people could raise concerns with.
Dame Diana said having police staff who are familiar with the issues that farmers and agricultural companies face was “really important”, as were community social media groups, which was recognition that residents had a role to play working with the police.
When asked about Nigel Farage’s claims to farmers demonstrating in London yesterday that Labour politicians in rural seats were scared about the tax changes, Dame Diana said: “I don’t think Labour are scared. I’m up in North Yorkshire today talking to farmers about the issues and challenges they are facing. The Government has committed £5bn to farming over the next 10 years.”
However, when asked if she was supportive of introducing an inheritance tax amnesty, to allow farmers to manage their financial affairs ahead of the levy being changed, Dame Diana said it was “a matter for the Treasury”.
She said: “I know the farming community is concerned about this and have met farmers in my part of the world, in Hull, who have their issues. I think it is perfectly right that they lobby and campaign on issues they are concerned about.
“It is still half the rate of inheritance tax for everybody else. There’s 10 years to pay, interest-free, there’s up to £3m available without inheritance tax being levied on it. There are concessions the Chancellor has built into the policy, but I do understand there are strong feelings on this.”