Huge cuts to policing budgets had a 'damaging impact' on Greater Manchester Police's planning for emergencies, according to the chair of the Manchester Arena public inquiry into the terrorist bombing.
Sir John Saunders, in his second inquiry report arising from the atrocity, said in his view, cuts 'did have a significant impact on the ability of GMP to provide an adequate public service in certain respects'. Sir John said in terms of planning: "The result is that a vital function of policing in GMP was not operating as well as it should."
"This had real consequences," he added in the damming report on the response of the emergency services to the May, 2017, attack. "I have no doubt that the cuts that resulted from austerity had a damaging impact upon GMP's planning for all emergencies.
