Justice Secretary David Lammy has launched a scathing attack on Greater Manchester Police after shocking new figures exposed catastrophic failures in emergency response times across the region.
The damning statistics reveal that GMP responders failed to reach thousands of 999 callers within crucial target times, leaving vulnerable residents in potentially dangerous situations without timely police assistance.
Systemic Failures Exposed
According to the latest data, police responders across Greater Manchester missed response time targets for the highest-priority emergency calls on numerous occasions. These Grade 1 incidents, which include life-threatening situations and crimes in progress, require officers to arrive within 15 minutes.
In one particularly alarming case highlighted by Lammy, it took responders a staggering over three hours to reach a vulnerable elderly woman who had fallen in her home, despite the incident being classified as an emergency.
Political Pressure Mounts
The Justice Secretary didn't mince words when addressing the failures, stating that local residents 'deserve better' from their police force. His intervention adds significant political pressure on GMP leadership to explain why emergency response standards have deteriorated so dramatically.
Lammy's criticism comes amid growing concern about policing standards in the region, with community leaders and residents expressing frustration about what they perceive as declining police visibility and responsiveness.
Accountability Demanded
In his strongest comments to date, Lammy emphasized that 'the public deserves answers' about why these systemic failures have been allowed to persist. He has called for immediate improvements and greater transparency from police commanders about their plans to rectify the situation.
The revelations have sparked wider questions about resource allocation, staffing levels, and operational priorities within one of England's largest police forces.
Community safety campaigners have joined the Justice Secretary in demanding urgent action, warning that continued failures in emergency response could have tragic consequences for Manchester residents in genuine crisis situations.
