A TORY MP has accused his own Government of not being tough enough on crime.

Shipley MP Philip Davies says ministers are “out of touch” with public opinion and that a rethink is needed.

“We are meant to be a party that is tough on crime but too often the needs of criminals are being put before victims and I will not stand for it,” he said. “My constituents want and deserve better and our hard-working police need to know that criminals will get the punishments they deserve, which is certainly not the case now.”

Mr Davies has submitted a series of parliamentary questions to the Ministry of Justice, which he says reveal failings by the courts to punish repeat offenders.

“I hope common sense prevails at the forthcoming Tory Party conference and ministers realise they are completely out of touch with what the public wants and expects from us regarding tackling crime,” he said.