Labour's Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched a scathing attack on the government's handling of crime, demanding immediate action as new figures paint a worrying picture of law and order across England and Wales.
The MP for Birmingham Ladywood confronted ministers with stark statistics showing that while police are solving fewer crimes, prosecution rates for serious offences including rape have plummeted to alarming lows.
Crime Crisis Deepens
Official data reveals a disturbing trend: only 5.6% of all crimes now result in charges, down significantly from previous years. Even more concerning, rape prosecutions have collapsed to just 1.6% of reported cases, leaving thousands of victims without justice.
'This isn't just numbers on a spreadsheet,' Mahmood declared. 'These are real people whose lives are being devastated by crime while the government stands by.'
Government Under Fire
The Labour frontbencher accused the Conservative administration of failing in its most basic duty - keeping citizens safe. Her intervention comes amid growing public concern about crime rates and the effectiveness of the justice system.
Mahmood highlighted several key areas where the government's approach appears to be failing:
- Dramatic reduction in solved crimes
- Collapsing prosecution rates for serious offences
- Growing number of victims being let down by the system
- Lack of effective strategies to address the crisis
Call for Immediate Action
The shadow justice secretary is demanding urgent measures to restore public confidence in the justice system. She emphasised that communities across England and Wales are paying the price for government inaction.
'People deserve to feel safe in their homes and on their streets,' Mahmood stated. 'The current situation is completely unacceptable and requires immediate government attention.'
As pressure mounts on ministers to address the crisis, all eyes will be on how the government responds to these damning statistics and Labour's demands for action.
