Labour slams Tories’ ‘abysmal’ record on crime as just 5% of cases solved

Home Office data for England and Wales showed the proportion of crimes leading to a charge or summons was just 5.7 per cent

Some 2.3 million crimes were dropped before a suspect was found in the past year (Simon Walker/No 10 Downing Street)

Just one in 20 crimes were solved by police last year, according to figures branded “abysmal” by Labour.

Home Office data for England and Wales released this month showed the proportion of crimes leading to a charge or summons was just 5.7 per cent.

The data, for the year to April, showed that 2.3 million crimes were dropped before a suspect was found.

For sexual offences, the charge rate was just 3.6 per cent, while for rape specifically, it was lower at 2.1 per cent.

And only 6.5 per cent of robberies led to someone being charged.

Labour published the figures as the party looks to outflank the Tories on law and order ahead of the next general election.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the figures were a “national scandal” and promised to boost the number of crimes solved if the party wins power.

The Conservatives said Labour “won’t take the tough action necessary on crime”.

Labour said it will introduce a new requirement for police forces to run a recruitment drive for detectives to reverse a national shortage, with plans to bring in individuals from fields such as business fraud investigations and child protection.

Ms Cooper said: “After 13 years of Tory government, over 90 per cent of crimes are going unsolved.

“That is the abysmal Conservative record on law and order – more criminals being let off and more victims being let down.

“For some serious crimes, like rape and robbery, the charge rate is now so low it constitutes a national scandal.

“For far too long in this country, too many crimes have been committed without any consequences. Victims increasingly feel like no one comes and nothing is done. Labour is determined this has to change.”

Home office minister Sarah Dines said Labour had voted against every tougher sentence the government has brought in, and claimed Sir Keir Starmer had “an appalling record of failing rape victims” when he was head of the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Conservative governments have increased convictions, increased sentences, reformed our justice system and quadrupled funding to better support victims – making sure that the full force of the law is brought to bear to protect women and girls,” Ms Dines said.