SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has called on the Government to provide more resources for "overstretched" police in West Yorkshire.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd told MPs there are "no plans for further cuts" to the police budget amid Tory concerns that officers are overstretched in a debate held today in the House of Commons.

She faced calls to guarantee cash to forces across the country, particularly in Yorkshire, as she appeared in the Commons for departmental questions.

Mr Davies highlighted a "worrying increase" in crime in West Yorkshire and in his Shipley constituency.

He said: "It's a fact that the police officers - who are doing a fantastic job - are overstretched.

"The first duty of the Government should be to protect the public and keep them safe.

"Can I urge you to make sure that more resources go into West Yorkshire to support the police tackling this worrying rise in crime?"

Ms Rudd agreed the Government's first role is to protect people, adding her party will "do that at every step".

The Cabinet minister said total cash funding for West Yorkshire Police increased by £3.7 million in 2017/18 compared with 2015/16.

She added: "I'll also point out that West Yorkshire has police resource reserves of £91m."

Meanwhile, Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin tackled ministers from the home office over funding levels of police.

Quoting Sarah Thornton, the most senior police chief in Britain, Mrs Brabin said: "With officer numbers at 1985 levels, crime up ten per cent in the last year and police work becoming ever more complex, this additional pressure is not sustainable.

"The current flat cash settlement for forces announced in 2015 is no longer enough."

And challenged to tell the Commons "which part does the Minister disagree with?"

Home Office Minister Nick Hurd replied: "We do recognise that demand on the police is changing.

"We are absolutely determined to make sure that the police have the resources they need to do the job properly. While continuing to support and challenge them."

The question came as West Yorkshire Police has lost more than 1,000 police officers since 2010.

Mrs Brabin said: "The levels of police funding is simply unacceptable.

"There are now 493 West Yorkshire residents per police office.

"Demand is going up as there are fewer police officers on our streets, this is clearly unsustainable.

"It's time for the Conservatives to stop letting down our communities and hardworking police officers, by increasing police funding so they can do their job to keep us safe effectively."

Ms Rudd, in reply to Labour's Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley East), said in the Commons: "I can reassure you that there are no plans for further

cuts, that the police budget has been protected between 2015 and 2020.

"And I'd like to pay particular admiration to South Yorkshire Police, who recently launched a new neighbourhood policing model - moving

significant resource into neighbourhood policing across the force's four districts, which shows exactly how well they're operating."