A Labour party spokesperson said in response to reports of government announcements on alcohol and anti-social behaviour:

"When 4,000 frontline police officers were cut in the first year alone of this Tory-led government, the prime minister needs to wake up to the reality of his current policies before making more promises.

"For more police officers to help in hospitals across the country, Chief Constables need support. Instead they are having the rug pulled from under them and 16,000 police officers are set to go.

"The fact is, on Friday and Saturday nights across our country, the prime minister's policy of cutting frontline police officers is making it harder, not easier, to tackle problem drinkers.

"We await the government's delayed alcohol strategy with interest, which must deal with minimum pricing, but the attack on the police launched by the Tory-led government is an unfolding scandal in every community across England and Wales."