Sir Keir Starmer said the Government pretends anti-social behaviour is “low-level” but people have been left feeling “they can’t leave their house” in some neighbourhoods.

Speaking on a visit to Hartlepool, the Labour leader said: “I’m here in Hartlepool to talk about anti-social behaviour and the Government sometimes pretends that it’s low-level and doesn’t really impact on people.

“It’s huge, it has a massive impact on very many people who feel they can’t go out of their house can’t go to the high street. I think it’s about prevention and cure and that’s why our proposal to have 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers is so important because they have dual functions.The Northern Echo:

“They are part of their local community. They know the people that they’re working with. So that’s the prevention bit, but then if it does require enforcement, they’re there, they know what’s going on.

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“And that’s the challenge really, the Government’s hollowed out policing, they got rid of about 20,000 officers, we say put 13,000, but neighbourhood police officers so they’re in their patch working with communities.”

Sir Keir and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper are in the North East meeting with members of the community to take the party's offer to the country, ahead of the local elections. 

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