Government figures today revealed that national levels of violent crime have fallen by 11% in the last six months. Although new licensing laws came into being three months ago Tobias Ellwood MP believes it's too early to make any firm conclusions about the impact of 24 hour drinking.

Extra government funding was given to police when the new licensing laws were introduced last November. This financial boost was an acknowledgment that longer hours would lead to an increase in binge drinking and more drunk and disorderly behaviour.

This funding is shortly to be stopped and local police will have to decide whether they can find the money to continue higher levels of policing or cut back.

In Dorset where a third more police are now on duty most evenings, violent crime has soared by 13% in the same period.

MP for Bournemouth East, Tobias Ellwood said:

"New licensing laws have given the police, accident and emergency services and the local council more work to do and extra funding is about to be stopped."

"While Bournemouth's night life is an important part of our local economy, it must not overshadow those other aspects of our town which make Bournemouth an attractive place to live, work or visit. Binge drinking is a relatively new menace in Britain and these new licensing laws compound the problem rather than help tackle it. Bournemouth should remain a family town that's attractive to people of all ages. We do not want to become the Faliraki of the south coast."