LABOUR'S Nick Bent is pressing Chancellor George Osborne not to cut police funding when he delivers his Autumn Statement today, Wednesday, amid 'unprecedented' security threats to the country.

The Warrington South Labour spokesman has joined calls from chief constables and Labour MP Andy Burnham urging Mr Osborne against such a move.

Concerns have been raised across the country after the Chancellor refused to rule out cuts of more than 10 per cent following the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris.

Great Sankey resident Mr Bent said: "Mr Osborne is playing politics with policing and our national security at a dark and dangerous time – he should listen to senior police officers not Treasury bean counters."

He also slammed Cheshire's Conservative police and crime commissioner John Dwyer after claiming he is 'giving in' to Government cuts, as well as criticising cuts made to Cheshire Police since 2010.

And he accused Mr Dwyer of secretly suggesting, in a leaked letter, which the Warrington Guardian has not seen, that ministers should give him new powers to make 'unlimited' increases to council tax to make up for police budget cuts from the Home Office.

Furthermore, he said the commissioner wants the Government to scrap rules which give the public a free vote in a referendum if council tax goes up more than two per cent.

"In the past, Mr Dwyer has failed to stick up for Cheshire residents and police officers," added Mr Bent.

"Now, not only is he failing to stand up to Tory Ministers, he is secretly lobbying for new powers to raise taxes without a public vote – that is undemocratic and hypocritical and we intend to vote Mr Dwyer out in May 2016.

"Mr Dwyer is just giving in to Government cuts."

Labour's shadow home secretary Mr Burnham, who grew up in Culcheth, said residents will be worried to hear Mr Osborne 'digging in' on cuts to the police.

He added: "It's not good enough when the safety of the country is at issue.

"One of the most senior police officers in the land has written to Mr Osborne to say cuts over five per cent would be damaging and over 10 per cent would be dangerous.

"He has been told in no uncertain terms that he has to consider the national policing budget alongside the budget for counter terrorism.

"Mr Osborne must protect front-line policing.

"Even at this eleventh hour, the Chancellor must listen to that advice and scale back his proposed cuts to the police.

"He can't be allowed to dig in and damage national security with his dogmatic approach to deficit reduction.

"Mr Osborne must put his political pride aside and put the safety of the country first."

Cheshire Police is yet to respond to a request for a comment from Mr Dwyer.