Policing Minister vows to protect shopworkers and reverse Tory ‘shoplifters’ charter’
|
The Policing Minister has vowed to protect shopworkers with tough
new measures today amid a ‘horrifying' rise in violent attacks last
year under the Tories. Speaking at the Cooperative Party's Retail
Crime Summit in London on Tuesday, Diana Johnson will say “there is
no place for anyone who abuses shopworkers, and we are changing the
law to come after” perpetrators and declare that the “era of
criminals acting with impunity” is over. It comes as a recent
survey...Request free trial
The Policing Minister has vowed to protect shopworkers with tough new measures today amid a ‘horrifying' rise in violent attacks last year under the Tories. Speaking at the Cooperative Party's Retail Crime Summit in London on Tuesday, Diana Johnson will say “there is no place for anyone who abuses shopworkers, and we are changing the law to come after” perpetrators and declare that the “era of criminals acting with impunity” is over. It comes as a recent survey from the Usdaw union showed nearly a fifth of retail staff suffered a violent attack last year – up from eight per cent in 2022. Nearly half also reported they had been threatened with violence. The minister will outline new action being introduced by the Labour government to reverse the wave of violence on shopworkers, including:
Johnson will say: “We know this is not a quick fix, but the blame for this unacceptable state of affairs falls at the feet of the last Conservative government.” The Policing Minister will attack the Tories' appalling record on law and order while in government and say the appointment of Chris Philp as new Shadow Home Secretary shows the Conservatives have learned nothing. She is expected to say: “Chris Philp was the Conservative Policing Minister. But his bright idea and solution to a shoplifting epidemic that was occurring on his watch was citizens arrests. He urged members of the public to use their powers when they saw thieves stealing goods. A statement that is so deeply irresponsible that it's almost laughable. That's how bad it got. “But it gets worse. Chris Philp is now the Shadow Home Secretary in Kemi Badenoch's Conservative top team. At the general election the British people sent a clear message to the Tories, after 14 years of failure, they'd had enough. But the promotion of Chris Philp shows they haven't listened.” In setting out the government's choice to reverse the damage done by the Tories, Diana Johnson will add: “We know that this work is hard. After more than a decade of Conservative rule, our high streets and town centres have been hollowed-out. Ordinary people have lost the trust – abandoned hope - that the police will come when they were called, that the culprit will be caught, that they will see justice. “Retail workers have been on the front line. They've seen the record high levels of shoplifting with their own eyes. They've faced the wave of abuse, threats, and violence. It must stop. “The era of criminals acting with impunity, built up through years of Tory rule, is over. This is a government committed to our mission for safer streets, for safer communities, and for a safer Britain, and we have a plan to get there.” Ends Notes:
|