Jeremy Corbyn has called on Theresa May to resign as Prime Minister over her record on cuts to police numbers as the political row over recent terror events intensified.
Speaking just three days before the general election, the Labour leader said he backed similar calls by “very responsible” people who are “very worried” about Ms May’s record.
On Sunday, at a speech in Carlisle, Mr Corbyn highlighted that 20,000 police officers had been cut while Ms May was Home Secretary between 2010 and 2016.
It follows the third terror attack to hit Britain in just over three months. On Saturday seven people were killed and 49 injured at London Bridge when attackers rammed a van into pedestrians before stabbing revellers in bars in the nearby Borough market.
While Mr Corbyn said the election on Thursday was “perhaps the best opportunity” to remove Ms May from her post, he also backed calls for her to resign, telling ITV: “Indeed I would, because there’s been calls made by a lot of very responsible people on this who are very worried that she was at the Home Office for all this time, presided over these cuts in police numbers and is now saying that we have a problem – yes, we do have a problem, we should never have cut the police numbers.”
Mr Corbyn was pressed on the Prime Minister’s position after David Cameron’s former policy guru demanded she resigned for “security failures” that led to the terror attacks in Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge.
Culture Secretary repeatedly dodges question on police cuts
Steve Hilton, who left Downing Street in 2012, posted reports relating to an alleged suspect of Saturday’s attack, before adding: “Theresa May responsible for security failures of London Bridge, Manchester, Westminster Bridge.
“Should be resigning not seeking re-election.”
Commenting on newspaper reports that appeared to attribute some responsibility to the security services, he went on: “Theresa May blame shifting again. Her spin doctors attack MI5, but she was in charge of them for years.”
Mr Corbyn was also asked by ITV News if he held Ms May “in any way” responsible and if cuts to the police contributed to the London Bridge atrocity.
58 show all UK General Election 2017
1/58 24 April 2017 A tactical voting website in support of Labour. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
2/58 24 April 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses the STUC conference in Aviemore. PA
3/58 24 April 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron addresses supporters at a campaign event in Vauxhall, London PA wire
4/58 24 April 2017 The Liberal Democrat party website is displayed on a laptop computer. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
5/58 24 April 2017 Party workers clear a hall following Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron's address to supporters at a campaign event in Vauxhall, London PA wire
6/58 24 April 2017 The Conservative party website is displayed on a laptop computer in Bristol, England. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
7/58 25 April 2017 Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer makes a speech outlining Labour's approach to Brexit PA wire
8/58 25 April 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to a worker during a visit to a steel works in Newport, Wales PA wire
9/58 29 April 2017 UK Independence Party leader Paul Nuttall knocks on the door of a resident during a visit to Hartlepool Getty Images
10/58 29 April 2017 UK Independence Party leader Paul Nuttall leaves a pub after meeting with television media in Hartlepool Getty
11/58 29 April 2017 A UK Independence Party supporter (L) scuffles with a pro-europe supporter ahead of a visit by UKIP leader Paul Nuttall to Hartlepool Getty Images
12/58 29 April 2017 Theresa May speaks at an election campaign rally in Banchory, Scotland Getty
13/58 29 April 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign rally on April 29, 2017 in Banchory, Scotland Getty Images
14/58 29 April 2017 Jeremy Corbyn delivers a campaign speech on leadership in London Getty Images
15/58 29 April 2017 Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks at an election campaign rally in East London Reuters
16/58 30 April 2017 Jeremy Corbyn speaks to supporters as he arrives for a conference for head teachers in Telford Getty
17/58 2 May 2017 Green MEP Molly Scott Cato speaks during the launch of the Green Party Brexit policy watched by Co-Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas and Green London Assembly member Siân Rebecca Berry at the Space Studio in London Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
18/58 2 May 2017 Co-Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, speaks during the launch of the Green Party Brexit policy at the Space Studio in London Stefan Rousseau/PA
19/58 2 May 2017 Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, Siân Rebecca Berry, London Assembly Green Party member and the Bristol West candidate, Molly Scott Cato make an announcement of the party's new Brexit policy in London EPA
20/58 2 May 2017 Scottish Conservative party leader Ruth Davidson gave a speech at the G&V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh ahead of the local government election PA
21/58 2 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge and Pete Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate, while on the election campaign trail Richard Vernalls/PA Wire
22/58 2 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall eats grapes during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge and Pete Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate PA Wire
23/58 2 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, campaigns in Southampton Reuters
24/58 2 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, campaigns in Southampton Reuters
25/58 2 May 2017 A view of the Liberal Democrat battle bus during a general election campaign visit to Lewes in East Sussex Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
26/58 2 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a campaign stop at a company in St Yves, Cornwall, England Getty Images
27/58 2 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a campaign stop at a company in St Yves, Cornwall, England. The Prime Minister is campaigning in South-West England, a former Liberal Democrat stronghold, as she urges West Country voters to stick with her party ahead of the polls on June 8 Getty Images
28/58 2 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May enjoys some chips during a campaign stop in Mevagissey, Cornwall Reuters
29/58 2 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May having some chips while on a walkabout during a election campaign stop in Mevagissey, Cornwall Dylan Martinez/PA Wire
30/58 8 May 2017 Britain's opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts as he meets with nursing students at the University of Worcester's Sheila Scott building in Worcester Getty Images
31/58 8 May 2017 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon gestures during her tour of the Inveralmond Brewery as she campaigns for the upcoming general election, in Perth Getty Images
32/58 8 May 2017 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon gestures during her tour of the Inveralmond Brewery as she campaigns for the upcoming general election, in Perth Getty Images
33/58 8 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in north west London AP
34/58 8 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall at a policy launch event in Gt George Street, London PA wire
35/58 8 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party campaigns outside Leamington Spa Town Hall Reuters
36/58 9 May 2017 Britain's Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn greets a supporter campaigning in Manchester, north west England EPA
37/58 9 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and the party's local candidate Tessa Munt on board a hovercraft during a visit to the Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB), a charity that operates two life-saving rescue hovercrafts and an inshore rescue boat, at Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset Yui Mok/PA Wire
38/58 9 May 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson visits the Shortbread House of Edinburgh's factory on the election campaign trail John Linton/PA Wire
39/58 10 May 2017 SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon has selfies taken during a walk about in Kirkintilloch town centre Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
40/58 10 May 2017 SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon with eleven month old Isla Corbett during a walk about in Kirkintilloch town centre Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
41/58 10 May 2017 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron takes part in a gardening lesson as he visits Lewannick Primary School near Launceston in Cornwall, England Getty Images
42/58 16 May 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets the Nishkam Trust leadership team and pupils of Nishkam Primary School in Birmingham, United Kingdom Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
43/58 16 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn pledged to 'resign' the two-child limit on tax credits Danny Lawson/PA Wire
44/58 16 May 2017 Supporters ahead of Jeremy Corbyn's appearance at the launch in Bradford of the Labour Party manifesto for the General Election Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
45/58 16 May 2017 Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron meets engineering students during a visit to Bath College in Somerset Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
46/58 16 May 2017 Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron at work onboard the party battlebus following a general election campaign visit to Bath in Somerset Gareth Fuller/PA
47/58 17 May 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond attend a Conservative Party Press Conference at One Canada Square Jack Taylor/Getty Images
48/58 17 May 2017 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (L) and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attend an election campaign event in Canary Wharf Getty
49/58 19 May 2017 First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has a shot on a bike during a visit to Moffat on the General Election campaign trail Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
50/58 19 May 2017 First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon sits in the driving seat of a Midge car during a visit to Moffat on the General Election campaign trail Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
51/58 19 May 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts as he speaks in Peterborough Getty Images
52/58 19 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at the launch of the Scottish manifesto by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson in Edinburgh Getty Images
53/58 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA
54/58 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and the party's local candidate John Leech meet carer April Preston, who is in receipt of the Carer's Allowance, during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA Wire
55/58 22 May 2017 Conservative party leader Theresa May during the Welsh Conservative manifesto launch at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gresford, Wrexham Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
56/58 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters
57/58 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images
58/58 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images
He replied: “The primary responsibility for this lies with those who did it, they killed people in cold blood in a disgusting and appalling way and there’s no words other than total condemnation.
“On the issues of policing – the Government has been warned repeatedly about police cuts, and the Police Federation and many others [have said] how 20,000 have gone down over the past seven years.
“We’ve said we’d put 10,000 back immediately and also increase the number of security officers that are available, because clearly intelligence is a very important part of this.
“It’s also very important to have a message of bringing communities together and that is something I always give very strongly at all of my events.”
At an election campaign event in London, Ms May, however, defended her record, adding: “Cressida Dick has said that the Metropolitan Police are well resourced – and they are, she has said they have very powerful counter-terrorism capabilities – and they do.
“We have protected counter-terrorism policing budgets, we have funded an uplift in the number of armed police officers.”
ThatFinchLad on June 5th, 2017 at 14:46 UTC »
To be fair he agreed with an interviewer's question that she should step down.
This is not the same as him directly calling her out on his own. He can hardly be expected to stand up for her.
joho999 on June 5th, 2017 at 14:21 UTC »
One day she will find a magic money tree.
And they will still have cuts.
Jewmuslim on June 5th, 2017 at 12:43 UTC »
It's actually fucking magical how badly May has shit the bed in the past few weeks.