The publication of the official crime figures is often a day of confusion with data from the police...

In a sense, the latest statistics are like looking in the rear view mirror. They do not illustrate the dramatic impact of the lockdown.

If Dominic Cummings is to be believed, the present government is not going to run on the normal rules of conventional politics.

For in virtually any year aside from the last three years, last week's figures would be the subject of national soul-searching.

What do the latest crime statistics tell us about what is happening to violence?

On the face of it, there is nothing within this week’s crime stats that suggest we should be worrying more about drugs-related offences.

The bulletins and news headlines over the next 24 hours have already been written, the narrative set: knife crime is continuing to rise.

Recorded violence, sexual offences, knife crime and gun crime have all been going up for at least three years.

The crime stats are out again and we’ve gleaned a few things for you.

5 things to note about today's crime stats.

First out of the traps are the Home Office, publishing a press release welcoming the figures.

Today’s figures should not be over-interpreted. We are still safer than we were 20 years ago.