Crime and policing minister says '13,000 officers' in local neighbourhoods hold the key to quashing anti-social behaviour

Diana Johnson speaks to Fraser Knight

By Hannah Levene

Labour minister Diana Johnson has told LBC that putting 13,000 police officers back into local communities could hold the key to tackling antisocial behaviour.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Speaking on the subject of bad behaviour on Britain's streets, Diana Johnson, the Minister of State for Crime, reflected on the biggest drivers of such behaviour.

Speaking with LBC, Ms Johnson said: “I’m conscious that policing can go so far but there’s much more that as a government we need to do around drugs and access to treatment for those with addiction problems.

"The young futures programme which we put in our manifesto is about providing youth support to people who might be starting to cause problems in their communities, is really important work that we need to do."

It comes just weeks after the crime and policing minister had her purse stolen while joining senior officers to discuss thefts.

Asked by LBC about the lack of police's attendance to reports of crime and anti-social behaviour, the minister acknowledged a serious resourcing issue.

“One of the key planks in our manifesto is around the neighbourhood policing model and putting the 13,000 police officers back into our communities to make sure that there’s a presence around."

The minister rejected LBC's questions about Alison Pearson, Harshita Brella and the Al Qaeda ricin cases, with Johnson explaining that protection orders are being put in place.

"We have made a commitment in our manifesto to violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Read more: Xi Jinping warns of 'period marked by turbulence' as Starmer stresses need for strong UK-China relationship

Read more: Neighbour of Harshita Brella heard rows and woman who ‘sounded scared’ in the days leading up to her death

"Clearly there is an epidemic against women and girls in this country and this government is going to start to tackle that. We have waited too long to put in that work."

LBC also asked Johnson about ebikes, with the minster adding: “We are going to make it much easier for the police to act and to destroy and get rid of those vehicles that are causing problems to communities."

It comes as Birmingham city council announced it is considering a ban on cycling in pedestrian-only parts of the city centre.

A report by Birmingham city council's regulation and community safety executives flags concerns over couriers and food delivery bikes going through pedestrian areas 'at speed and without care for pedestrians’.