“David Davis resigns over ‘intrusive power of the state’ arguing for cut backs in CCTV and DNA evidence”

Reading’s Tories were today challenged to say whether they supported their colleague David Davis who has resigned his parliamentary seat to fight a by-election over the ‘ever intrusive power of the State’ claiming that there are too many CCTV cameras and questioning the use of evidence from the police DNA database.

Reading West MP Martin Salter said:

“Although David Davis is no longer the Shadow Home Secretary he is still the official Conservative Party candidate in Haltemprice and Howden and people in Reading are entitled to know if the Tories, as a matter of policy, are now in favour of cutting back on the number of CCTV cameras in the town and the police use of DNA evidence.”

In his resignation speech David Davis attacked the number of CCTV cameras in use and the extent of the police DNA database saying: “A CCTV camera for every 14 citizens … a DNA database bigger than that of any dictatorship … this cannot go on.  It must be stopped.”

Mr Salter and Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East, Anneliese Dodds have written to their Conservative opposite numbers challenging them to come clean over where they stand on these issues.  If they agree with David Davis which CCTV cameras in Reading do they think should be removed and which crimes should no longer be solved using DNA evidence?

In her letter to Reading East Conservative MP Rob Wilson, Anneliese Dodds says:

“Your Conservative colleague David Davis has resigned as Tory Shadow Home Secretary and as an MP.  He is against having CCTV in our communities because he is worried about human rights. He seems to care a lot about the human rights of criminals.  He has criticised the use of the DNA database even though it has proved invaluable in securing successful convictions in rape cases and in many other violence offences.”

Martin Salter said:

“It looks as though David Davis and the Conservatives have lost the plot on law, order and security. They voted against giving the police powers to detain terrorist suspects for longer. Now they want to cut back on CCTV cameras and the use of DNA evidence which has proved so important in securing convictions against criminals and those who would do us harm.

Over 1000 arrests were made in the Reading area last year thanks to CCTV evidence. CCTV images helped identify the London bombers of July 2005 and helped convict the Brixton nail bomber.”

The latest Home Office figures show DNA evidence solving around 450 murders and 650 rape cases a year together with 200 other sex offences and over 8,500 burglaries.”

He added:

“If suspects’ DNA samples had not been retained on the national database as allowed by the Criminal Justice and Police Act (2001) then 8,000 crimes would have in all probability remained unsolved including 114 murders, 55 attempted murders, 116 rapes and 68 other sexual offences.”

He said:

“There is no doubt that CCTV and the use of DNA evidence are vital in the fight against crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour.  It seems as if the Tories now want the police to be denied the full use of modern and effective crime fighting tools.”

Home Office Police Minister Tony McNulty added:

“CCTV is a powerful crime-fighting tool.  It has proven its effectiveness time and again in tackling crime and disorder and plays a vital role in the fight against terrorism and in helping communities feel safer.  CCTV makes our streets safer and it is vital that we equip our police with the technology they need to catch criminals and do their job effectively. Conservative MPs should make clear if they support their use.”