The Home Secretary has vowed to recruit an extra 20,000 police officers if he is elected as the next Prime Minister in order to put an end to the knife crime epidemic in the country. Writing for The Sun, Mr Javid has insisted that he will do “what the public wants” in order to tackle the problem. Mr Javid has vowed to return police numbers since before the austerity programme instituted by his party.

Writing for the paper, he said: “I would make police numbers a top priority.

“It’s what the police want, it’s what the public wants, and it’s what I will deliver.

“That means 20,000 more coppers.

“Not sat behind desks, but pounding the pavements.

“I want to see a return to bobbies on the beat in every corner of the country.”

With the Tory leadership race starting off, Mr Javid has placed the issue of tackling crime across the country front and centre of his bid.

Mr Javid also revealed that is he becomes the next Prime Minister, he would spend £1 billion over three years on a recruitment drive.

Current Prime Minister, Theresa May has denied that the drop in police levels has helped the rise in violent crime.

Indeed, earlier this year Mrs May claimed that there was “no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers”.

As it stands, Mr Javid is regarded as behind Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and Michael Gove in the leadership race.

One MP said: “Boris is clearly out in front, but there a lot of MPs flitting between Sajid, Michael Gove and Matt Hancock.

“It’s all to play for.”

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