UK sets up riots recovery fund

World

UK sets up riots recovery fund

Close

PM Cameron has pledged 10m to help councils with the recovery operation after this weeks riots.

11 August,2011 08:49 pm

In a statement to the Commons this morning, David Cameron said the money would be made available to local authorities to help make areas clear, clean and safe again.He also announced a £20m high street support scheme to help businesses get up and running again.Parliament was recalled from summer recess to debate the riots, which spread from London to Birmingham, Manchester and other towns and cities across the country.Cameron said the violence of the past few days had been ‘completely unacceptable’. He claimed the looting ‘was not about politics or protest – it was about theft’ and said those convicted of crimes related to the riots should expect to go to jail.‘We will do whatever it takes to restore law and order and rebuild our communities,’ the prime minister added.Opposition leader Ed Miliband said Labour was united with the coalition in its stance against the violence and disorder. But he called on the government to reconsider the budget cuts to the police.In reply, Cameron said a 6% reduction to the policing precept was ‘totally achievable without a reduction in visible policing’.