Scotland Yard is ‘furious’ over Labour’s failure to set out long-term funding to fight anti-Semitic hate crime.
The Government’s announcement of an extra £18million for the Metropolitan Police was greeted with derision, the Daily Mail understands.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s cash injection in the wake of the Golders Green knife attacks could be swallowed up within weeks, top officers have been warned.
It comes after Ms Mahmood described the £18million uplift for the Met, plus £7million for other organisations, as a ‘significant increase in investment to protect our Jewish communities’.
Scotland Yard on Tuesday announced a dedicated new ‘community protection team’ of 100 officers to tackle anti-Jewish hate crime.
But the new unit will require tripling in size at a cost of £35million a year, it is understood.
Senior figures in the Met have welcomed Labour’s £18million funding boost but have privately said they are ‘furious’ that no longer-term funding has been pledged.
The Government’s funding commitment so far is viewed as a ‘drop in the ocean’ by the Met, it is understood.
Members of the Jewish community attend a protest organised by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism outside Downing Street last Thursday
Protesters hold up placards and flags during a protest organised by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism outside Downing Street last week
Anti-hate crime operations mounted by the force have run up a bill of £10million over the last month in overtime payments and other costs.
The Met said last night a chunk of the £18million provided by the Government had already been spent.
‘It will retrospectively cover the significant costs incurred to date which were necessary to surge protective policing in north-west London at a time of unprecedented threats to the community,’ a spokesman said.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: ‘I welcome the Government’s £18million funding, which has already paid for thousands of additional officer shifts at a time of exceptional pressure.
‘But this funding is short-term and requires investment to sustain our policing response to this growing threat.
‘We are working with Government and the Mayor to ensure the approach we are building can be sustained over time, not just for Jewish communities but as a model that can support other communities across London when facing elevated risk.
‘A settled, long‑term model built around local teams will be far more effective than repeated emergency responses.’
Ms Mahmood said: ‘Last week’s abhorrent, anti-Semitic attack was a vile act of terrorism.
‘The Government has announced a significant increase in investment to protect our Jewish communities, with record funding for policing and security at synagogues, schools and community centres.
‘We will do everything in our power to rid society of the evil of anti-Semitism.’
