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Annotated by Kate McCann, Senior Political Correspondent

Nick Ferrari: So how much would 10,000 police officers cost?

Diane Abbott: Well, if we recruit the 10,000 policemen and women over a four year period, we believe it’ll be about £300,000.

If you divide £300,000 by 10,000 new police officers that's just £30 each in wages. It's more like £7.50 if you divide it by the four years Diane Abbott mentions above ...

Nick Ferrari: £300,000?

Diane Abbott: Sorry ... (Interrupted)

Nick Ferrari: 10,000 police officers? What are you paying them?

Diane Abbott: No, I mean, sorry ... (Interrupted)

Nick Ferrari: How much will they cost.

Diane Abbott: They will cost [long pause], it will cost, erm, about, about £80m.

Nick Ferrari: The £80m is the figure we use. But I don’t understand. If you divide £80m by 10,000, you get 8000.

This is still far lower than the £20,000 starting salary new officers generally make in their first year on the job.

Diane Abbott: What ... (Interrupted)

Nick Ferrari: Is that what you’re going to pay these policemen and women?

Diane Abbott: No, we’re talking about a process over 4 years.

Nick Ferrari: I don’t understand. What is he or she? £80m divided by 10,000 equals £8000. So I don’t, what are these police officers going to be paid?

[papers rustle]

Diane Abbott: We will be paying them the average ... (Interrupted)

Nick Ferrari: Has this been thought through?

Diane Abbott: Of course it’s been thought through!

Nick Ferrari: Where are the figures?

Diane Abbott: The figures are that the, the additional cost in year 1 when we anticipate recruiting 250,000 policemen will be £64.3m.

Here the shadow home secretary appears to promise that Labour would create 250,000 new police officers if elected. In fact, the pledge is to pay for just 10,000 new recruits over four years. It's likely Ms Abbott got confused and that the party intends to employ 2,500 new officers each year over four years.

Nick Ferrari: 250,000 policemen?

Diane Abbott: And women.

Nick Ferrari: Right. Where…? So you’re getting more than 10,000? You’re recruiting 250,000?

Diane Abbott: No, we are recruiting 2000 and perhaps 250. And the cost ... (Interrupted)

Nick Ferrari: Where did 250,000 come from?

Diane Abbott: I think you said that not me.

Nick Ferrari: I can assure you - you said that figure because I wrote it down.

Diane Abbott: What I’m saying about the cost is in year 1 obviously we’re getting ready to recruit, but in year 2 the cost will be £64.3m, in year 3 the cost will be £139.1m, year 4 the cost will be £270m, and year 5 the cost will be £298m, and that can be amply covered by reversing the cuts in capital gains tax.