Home Secretary tables plans to 'protect shop workers' in street crime crackdown - as she tells police 'we back you'
24 September 2024, 11:22 | Updated: 24 September 2024, 11:46
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced new plans to protect shop workers from assault as part of a crime crackdown on Britain's high streets.
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Speaking from the Labour Party Conference on Tuesday, the Home Secretary declared "our streets don't belong to the thugs" as she announced it was "time to take them back" and curb anti-social behaviour.
"You don't get social justice unless you have justice," she explained during her speech, outlining Labour's plans for "safer streets" in a bid to half knife crime in the next decade.
It comes as she announced a new standalone offence to curb the growing number of assaults on UK shop workers.
Ms Cooper declared "we will back you" in the wake of widespread UK rioting, emphasising that Labour stands with the police in tackling anti-social behaviour.
Announcing plans for an additional 13,000 police officers and PCSOs along with guaranteed local patrols, Ms Cooper also floated so-called "respect orders" for persistent offenders.
She highlighted that crime is “corroding the fabric of our communities”, the speech coincided with a ban on so-called 'zombie knives' under the newly introduced 'Ronan's Law' - which comes into force today.
The law, named after Ronan Kanda – who was murdered with a ninja sword in Wolverhampton in 2022 – marks a ban on possession of a range of large blades and lethal weapons.
The Home Secretary outlined proposals to tackle antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and off-road bikes, highlighting more neighbourhood police in communities as part of her speech.
Speaking from Liverpool, the Home Secretary spoke on the introduction of 'Ronan's Law' which aims a bid to ban "zombie knives" and "ninja swords” on Britain's streets.
“We will back you in your fight to save young lives,” she pledged to officers, outlining plans to cub "dangerous online sales” of bladed weapons - as well as give them greater powers in the wake of recent UK riots.
On Sunday, a 15-year-old boy was killed with a "zombie-style" knife just two days before the ban on the weapons was due to come into force.
The teenage victim, who is yet to be identified, was found with a serious stab wound to his leg.
It follows a four-week amnesty scheme where owners were encouraged to hand the weapons in to police, local authorities or knife crime charities.
In her speech on Tuesday, Yvette Cooper labelled the actions of rioters “a total disgrace”.
Legislation will also be brought forward next year to introduce "respect orders", which are designed to ban persistent antisocial offenders from town centres, including for issues linked to public drinking and drug use.
"Don’t tell me that was about protest, don’t tell me that about it was arson, it was racism, it was thuggery, it was crime,” she said.
“That’s not who we are, that’s not what Britain is about," she remarked on the recent UK violence.
Hitting out at the previous Tory government, she highlighted that riots took place “because criminals thought they would get away with it”.
"People stood up for their communities and we put the disorder down," she said.
Cooper says she was "shocked” by the response by those from “political parties on the right” following the violence.
Instead of support, she said that certain members attempted to “undermine the integrity and authority of police”.
Rwanda proved another sticking point for the Home Secretary, as she hit out at the Conservative's Rwanda plans.
Highlighting Labour's plans to strengthen boarder security, she added the party were taking action and “not just stood on the shoreline shouting at the sea”.
Finishing her speech in Liverpool, Ms Cooper ended with "Let change begin".
It comes ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's keynote speech at the conference on Tuesday.
The Labour leader is expected to tell Brits there is 'light at the end of this tunnel' as he sets out his plans to "build a new Britain".
