Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has said the government’s plans to crack down on shoplifting will protect customers and shopworkers in Portsmouth and restore pride in our city’s high streets.
Under the previous government, shoplifting soared to its highest rate on record – with more than 430,000 cases recorded in 2023.
The impact on shopworkers has been clear with incidents of violence and abuse of shop workers soaring by 50% over the past year according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Mr Morgan made the comments following a visit to a local CCTV patrol room at the Cascades Shopping Centre where he thanked local businesses’ efforts to keep workers and shoppers safe.
Mr Morgan said Labour’s plan to scrap the effective immunity for some shoplifting introduced by the Conservatives and create a new specific offence for assaults on shopworkers will protect them from threats and violence.
The Labour government will also introduce a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, restoring patrols to our town centres by recruiting thousands of new police officers, police and community support officers (PCSOs), and special constables.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Under the previous government, too many shopworkers in Portsmouth had to put up with a staggering increase in shoplifting and incidents of violence and abuse.
“That’s why the new Labour government will bin the effective immunity for some shoplifting introduced by the Tories and create a new specific offence for assaults on shopworkers to protect them from threats and violence.
“These measures alongside the government’s wider plan to restore patrols to city centres like Portsmouth by recruiting thousands of new police officers and PCSOs will crack down on this crime in our city.”
Stephen Morgan MP has been campaigning for better protections for shopworkers in Portsmouth and working with USDAW the shopworkers union to discuss experiences on the frontline of this surge in shoplifting and violence.
The city MP has taken a range of actions to lobby for action to tackle shoplifting, as well as raising concerns in Parliament, meeting with local police and retailers, and campaigning for more bobbies on the beat.
