Prime Minister 'clueless' on police, says Sheffield MP

Labour's Louise Haigh, who represents Sheffield Heeley, took her campaign against nuisance motorbike and moped riders to Prime Minister's questions earlier today.

She said crime involving mopeds and bikes had 'soared' in recent years and urged Mrs May to protect officers trying to tackle the issue.

Ms Haigh added: "Given yesterday's unfunded real terms pay cut to the police will again cost us more frontline officers, can I suggest to the Prime Minister that the very least she can do is change the law to protect police officers if they are driving according to their training and experience when pursuing and responding to blue lights, and send a message from this house that no force should be operating a blanket no pursuit policy.

"The police protect us every day. Isn't it high time the Prime Minister protected them?"

Police pay will go up by one per cent, plus a one-off one per cent bonus, in 2017/18. The money will have to come from existing budgets.

Mrs May added: "It's not an issue of funding - it's an issue of how you respond to these crimes.

"And I'm pleased to say that my right honourable friend the policing minister held a round table on exactly this issue yesterday to look at how we can ensure that the police are responding fully to it."

Shortly afterwards Ms Haigh posted her reaction to the Prime Minister's statement on Twitter.

She said: "For a former Home Sec, she doesn't have a clue what she's talking about when it comes to the police.

"But tellingly the PM did not deny that the unfunded pay settlement will result in a further loss of frontline officers."