Safe in the country

Conservative researchers have been assiduously collecting data on crime in the 13 counties defined officially as "rural".

What emerges is a worrying picture, of the difference between 1998-99 and 2006-07.

1) Over the period violence against the person has jumped by 83,000 a year, or 119%. Nationally the increase is 108%, which suggests that at least some other "non-rural" counties have experienced an increase less than 108%, and significantly less than the rural counties.

2) Criminal damage in rural counties has risen by 70,00 cases a year, - a rise of 60% or double the national average increase, and even more than in at least some "non-rural" areas.

3) All recorded crimes rose by 68,000 a year, or 10%, which compares with a national average of 6%.. The difference suggests that the rural counties increase at 10% must be well above other areas which have low or even negative increases.

(In terms of burglaries the rural counties experienced the same decrease as the national average, at 30%.)

The above all suggest that the "townie" Nu-labour administration, with very few seats in rural areas, has devoted little attention to crime in rural areas. Mergers of police forces in the name of efficiency have in places denuded rural areas of manpower because of the higher profile urban pressures.

It may also suggest that policing in the towns has been more successful and criminals have moved to "softer" areas with fewer police and CCTVs.

At a time when hospital services are becoming more remote, school journeys longer through closure, post offices closing and travel costs rising rapidly, the rural areas could count themselves neglected. But then, there aren't many nu-labour votes there!