Liz Truss repeats vow to introduce police targets to cut ‘key crimes’ by 20% despite warnings

Targets create ‘perverse incentives’ and risk that other crimes will get less attention, watchdog warns

Truss is the current frontrunner in the Conservative leadership race (PA)

Liz Truss has reiterated her vow to set police targets to “cut key crimes by 20 per cent”, despite mounting warnings over the potential consequences.

During a visit to a youth centre on Monday alongside former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, the current leadership frontrunner outlined her crime policies.

They include plans to order police to reduce serious crimes by 20 per cent below 2019 levels, by the end of the current parliament in 2024.