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Row over 'extra' police officers | Row over 'extra' police officers |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Scottish Government has conceded that its plans to boost police numbers will not come from taking on new officers alone. | The Scottish Government has conceded that its plans to boost police numbers will not come from taking on new officers alone. |
Opposition leaders accused the SNP of misleading voters after ministers said they would boost capacity by the "equivalent" of 1,000 extra officers. | |
The party is facing defeat in the Scottish Parliament over the plans. | The party is facing defeat in the Scottish Parliament over the plans. |
First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed the rise would be in recruitment, retention and redeployment. | |
Labour leader Wendy Alexander accused Mr Salmond of misquoting his own party manifesto - which set out plans in its first budget for "1,000 more police" - in a previous exchange with her over police numbers. | |
As soon as we recruit the first police officer, that will be one more than the Labour party promised in the election campaign Alex SalmondFirst minister | |
The government subsequently promised the "equivalent" of this number. | |
"The word 'equivalent' does not appear in this section of the manifesto," said Ms Alexander during first minister's question time. | |
Mr Salmond said plans for police recruitment would be set out in the 14 November budget, adding: "We will deliver an additional 1,000 police officers in our communities through increased recruitment, improved retention and redeployment. | |
"As soon as we recruit the first police officer, that will be one more than the Labour Party promised in the election campaign." | |
The Scottish Government is expected to suffer a Holyrood defeat after the concerns were raised in a Conservative debate, backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. | |
Also on the attack, Tory leader Annabel Goldie said Mr Salmond had broken a "cast iron" policing promise, asking: "Will he now come clean, admit that the SNP cannot be trusted and that he has betrayed the public and he has betrayed our police? | |
"He promised 1,000 extra police. Scotland currently has 16,261 officers, so when we will we have 17,261 officers? | |
"Or is the truth really that under the SNP, the answer is never?" | |
The first minister said that, once upon a time, the Tories were in favour of the "three Rs", adding: "I think Annabel should back our plans for recruitment, retention and redeployment of our officers to make the streets of Scotland safer." |