Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan has said Labour’s plans to tackle crime will tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the city and make local people feel safe again.
Mr Morgan made the comments during a night shift with local police. During the shift the city MP joined response officers to see what they encounter on a Friday night in Portsmouth.
Mr Morgan also used the opportunity to thank local police for their dedicated work to protect Portsmouth people and keep them safe.
The Labour Government has pledged to restore respect for law and order, and give the police and local communities the support and tools they need to tackle local crime.
The Government has also supported police by taking dangerous weapons off our streets by banning zombie-style knives and machetes, as part of its mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.
Since the start of 2025, Portsmouth has seen 13.4% reduction in knife crime and a 14.6% reduction in most serious violence.
The Government is also putting bobbies back on the beat, with a target to put 13,000 more police in neighbourhood roles over the course of this Parliament – backed by a £200 million cash injection in the first year.
Its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will ensure that every area has a named, contactable neighbourhood policing team to address local issues and concerns, and there will be guaranteed police patrols in high streets and town centres.
You can find your local Neighbourhood Policing Team here.
Neighbourhood policing teams will crack down on shop theft and street theft, so local people can feel safe once again. Labour will deliver a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker, to protect staff and ensure that all shop theft is treated with the seriousness it deserves.
And Labour are giving police new powers so they can better tackle crimes that matter most to communities. This includes the ability to seize off-road bikes and other vehicles involved in antisocial behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing them.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Local people will know that tackling crime is a top priority for me which is why I have long campaigned for increased resources for our police and increased visibility in our communities.
“It was great to join Portsmouth police for a Friday night shift to see all the things they deal with and their dedicated work to protect Portsmouth people up close.
“I will keep working closely with our local police force to crack down on anti-social behaviour and crime, take back our streets and make people in Portsmouth feel safe.”
Mr Morgan has long campaigned for safer streets and more bobbies back on the beat. You can back his campaign here.
