London, Mar 7 : The cost of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton has risen to an amount which is out of the Met police budget, because it has been declared a bank holiday.
It's estimated the event will now cost as much as 20 million pounds, which dwarfs the 7.4 million pounds price of security at the G20 protests in London in 2009, reports the Daily Mail.
The wedding on April 29 is now thought to be the most expensive security operation staged in Britain.
Because of Government-imposed budget cuts, The Met is struggling to meet the cost of security for the wedding
It has reportedly sent a "begging letter" to the Home Office asking for help in meeting the extra costs, which were piled on when David Cameron declared the wedding day a bank holiday.
Peter Smyth, Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told The Sunday Times, "David Cameron made it a bank holiday. The money that it costs for that day will come out of the Met police budget, which he's already set about cutting.
"Cameron made the decision. He should pay for it."
The security operation is expected to require thousands of officers to line the streets of the capital enroute Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
In addition, thousands will be needed on rooftops for surveillance, with thousands more working behind the scenes on counter terrorism measures.
Double time for officers - known as 'double bubble' in the trade - is estimated to have cost the taxpayer 500 million pounds last year.
It's estimated the event will now cost as much as 20 million pounds, which dwarfs the 7.4 million pounds price of security at the G20 protests in London in 2009, reports the Daily Mail.
The wedding on April 29 is now thought to be the most expensive security operation staged in Britain.
Because of Government-imposed budget cuts, The Met is struggling to meet the cost of security for the wedding
It has reportedly sent a "begging letter" to the Home Office asking for help in meeting the extra costs, which were piled on when David Cameron declared the wedding day a bank holiday.
Peter Smyth, Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told The Sunday Times, "David Cameron made it a bank holiday. The money that it costs for that day will come out of the Met police budget, which he's already set about cutting.
"Cameron made the decision. He should pay for it."
The security operation is expected to require thousands of officers to line the streets of the capital enroute Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
In addition, thousands will be needed on rooftops for surveillance, with thousands more working behind the scenes on counter terrorism measures.
Double time for officers - known as 'double bubble' in the trade - is estimated to have cost the taxpayer 500 million pounds last year.
No comments:
Post a Comment