Appearing soft on crime is simply not an option for anyone running to become Conservative Party leader and the country’s next Prime Minister.
And so both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are talking tough on the need to cut soaring levels of violent crime, and ensure neighbourhood policing also becomes a key priority.
Liz Truss says she wants to see a 20 percent reduction in serious offences like homicide, and a similar cut in other key crimes including burglary, by the time of the next election.
It makes a good headline, but will be next to impossible to achieve in just a couple of years.
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak
PA
Ms Truss says she wants to see a 20 percent reduction in serious offences like homicide
Finnbarr Webster
Homicide and serious violence in particular have complex and wide-ranging causes and there’s no quick-fix to that problem.
Mr Sunak says he wants Chief Constables to be far less focussed on those causing offence on social media, which will certainly be welcomed by much of the electorate, and crucially, by Tory Party members.
Many of those within policing have reacted badly though to Ms Truss’s plans for league tables, where Chief Constables who fail to meet their key targets will effectively be publicly shamed and called before Ministers to explain themselves.
Ms Truss' campaign believes this is an important step forward in transparency and accountability.
But many officers think league tables are divisive and bad for morale.
Policing leaders have claimed that past targets, introduced under Tony Blair, caused forces to neglect vital areas of crime, such as child abuse and sexual offences.
The People's Forum with Ms Truss airs exclusively on GB News at 5pm on Wednesday.
