Your newspaper is to be congratulated for finding out the facts about crime in Barnet. Your coverage reveals that Barnet has the highest number of unsolved burglaries across London. So much for the ‘safe suburbs’.

The chairman of Barnet Neighbourhood Watch is reported as saying: “In the past two years the police budget has been cut and its happening again”.

At the same time that your paper reported this story, I received election communication from Matthew Offord, in which he says: “I will continue to work to put police officers on our streets and ensure people feel safe in their homes...”

Mr Offord has clearly failed to do anything effective in this area in his time at Westminster. He and his government colleagues do not believe in public spending. They believe in reduced public expenditure as a matter of principle, not necessity.

Andrew Dismore, Mr Offord’s leading opponent in the General Election, has pointed out cuts in policing in his time as London Assembly Member.

On May 7, Hendon voters will decide between the Conservative Mr Offord and Labour’s Mr Dismore, who has consistently drawn attention to cuts in policing, both planned and actual.

David Beere

Colin Crescent, Colindale