Criminals in the UK have “never had it so good” under the Conservatives, Labour have claimed amid the launch of a campaign calling for tougher action on crime.

The party has taken aim at the Government over its record in the past decade, accusing ministers of “looking the other way” as incidents rise.

But the Tories hit back, accusing Sir Keir Starmer’s party of “being on the side of criminals” by opposing the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill .

A new campaign poster being launched by Labour on Wednesday highlights a surge in violent crime and a drop in the number of suspects being charged.

Labour poster
The new poster campaign which will be launched by Labour on Wednesday (The Labour Party/PA)

On a visit to Southampton, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas Symonds will urge the Government to make policing a priority ahead of local elections.

He said: “Under the Conservatives, criminals have never had it so good. We have seen violent crime rising in every part of the country and an explosion of County Lines gangs.

“The Conservatives’ tough talk on crime has one purpose – to disguise their record of abject failure of victims. Ministers should be ashamed of the soaring serious crime they have presided over.

“Labour at this election will be campaigning for more officers on the streets to tackle this unacceptable spread of violence.

“Labour Councils, PCCs (police and crime commissioners) and mayors are standing up for their communities in the face of Tory cuts. With a Labour government they would have a partner in tackling crime, not a Conservative Party content to look the other way.”

According to analysis by Labour, there has been a 90% increase in police recorded domestic abuse since 2015/2016, while 99% of cuts to policing since 2010 have been from the front line.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Two weeks ago, Sir Keir Starmer voted against whole life sentences for child murderers. He voted against keeping violent offenders behind bars for longer.

“He voted against measures to crack down on knife crime, against protection for police officers, against life sentence for killer drivers – the list goes on and on.

“Labour have repeatedly stood on the side of criminals, and not on the side of our brave police.

“It is this Conservative government that is delivering on our promises to put 20,000 more police on our streets, with over 6,000 already through the door.

“We are toughening sentences for hardened criminals, backing the police to do their job and cutting crime.”