The actual storey behind the headline is the absolute hypocrisy of the Tory MPs. Each one of them will have voted or in some way supported Tory Budgets which have slashed funding for West Midlands Police over the past decade or so.

 If they really care about our Police service then they should be seeking meetings with their Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding he put funding back in real terms into West Midlands Policing.

 It will be interesting to hear what the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel have to say on this issue at their next meeting. It is there job to hold the Police and Crime Commissioner to account.

 If they are doing their job correctly then they do need to be demanding answers of the new Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster (Lab) as to why he hasn’t carried out the full consultation around why he needs to close up to 20 police stations and bases across the West Midlands as promised in his manifesto back in May.

 They will be shirking their responsibilities if they follow the Party line and just attack the closures.