Theresa May attacked over EU crime measures

Home Secretary accused of trying to placate Tory party’s 'rabid' Eurosceptic backbenchers at the expense of fighting cross-border crime

Home Secretary Theresa May (Getty Images)

Theresa May will be accused of trying to placate her party’s “rabid” Eurosceptic backbenchers at the expense of fighting cross-border crime.

Labour are to use a debate in Parliament in an attempt to split the Coalition over Ms May’s desire to opt out of up to 130 European crime-fighting measures. Under pressure from her own backbenchers, Ms May is keen to pull out of EU laws, including the European Arrest Warrant, which has been in operation in Britain for eight years.

But she is facing fierce opposition from the Liberal Democrats, who argue that the measures are in the country’s national interest and are supported by the police. A decision on which of the 130 measures to participate in will have to be made by the end of this month.

Labour will today raise the issue in an opposition day debate and called on Liberal Democrats and Tories to support them.

Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow Home Secretary, said British police needed cooperation across borders to “get justice for victims”. “By turning their backs on European cooperation on crime... the Government is in danger of making it harder, not easier, to catch criminals and get justice,” she said.