Parties at loggerheads over policing in London
The Home Secretary Alan Johnson today accused London's mayor of cutting police numbers and putting community safety at risk.
He alighted on figures showing 450 police officers will be lost in London by the end of Boris Johnson's mayoralty.
He said the mayor had refused to guarantee the size and composition of safer neighbourhood teams currently consisting of one sergeant, two constables and three PCSOs tied to each of London's 624 electoral wards.
His Conservative shadow Chris Grayling said it was 'desperate' of Mr Johnson. The Conservatives were fully supportive of neighbourhood policing.
The real issue was the failure of Labour to provide release from the strangulating bureaucracy which meant, for instance, that before going off to monitor a suspected burglar, about to embark on his evening a prowl, an officer must fill out a form.
Chris Huhne, for the Liberal Democrats, said that, of course, they would deal with cloying red tape but they were the only party which offered the cast-iron pledge to increase the number of police. Compared to Europe, we had a ratio of police to head of population that was far too low, he said.
The Conservatives launched their manifesto inside Battersea Power Station. "It's symbolic. A revival", a Tory aide told the Evening Standard.
For some, Battersea power station is certainly a symbol.
A once mighty institution which has proved really difficult to re-construct and which has defied the dreams of a long succession of architects and developers who have attempted to transform it.
I'm BBC London's political editor and presenter of the London section of the Politics Show. Here I'll be identifying the key talking points during the election campaign and trying to offer a reality check to the many promises that you'll hear up to polling day. Your thoughts welcome.
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