Labour Introduces ‘Respect Orders’ to Tackle Street Crime and Promote Community Safety

Labour plans to introduce 'respect orders' to curb street crime

Starting in 2025, these court mandates will prohibit the most frequent perpetrators of anti-social behavior from city centers.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 11:

The Home Secretary announced that the government plans to introduce a series of "respect orders" aimed at curbing anti-social behavior.

Addressing the audience at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Yvette Cooper criticized the former Conservative leadership, branding them as "right-wing wreckers" and grouping them together with their allies in Reform.

She criticized the Conservatives for promoting "fear, division, and anger," positioning her administration as a beacon of "respect and adherence to legal principles."

The Home Secretary did not introduce any fresh initiatives but echoed the policies previously declared in the King’s Speech following their rise to power in July, along with others that were carried over from the previous Conservative administration.

A major policy initiative focuses on targeting disruptive conduct through the implementation of "respect orders." These orders aim to prohibit individuals who frequently engage in street drinking, drug use, or shoplifting from accessing city centers.

The staggered launch is set to commence in 2025, and although a civil court can expedite issuing orders, violating these will constitute a criminal offense.

Ms. Cooper declared the introduction of a "new law" aimed at protecting shop workers from assaults, although the Conservative government had already publicized this measure in April.

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She reaffirmed the Labour Party's commitment to adding 13,000 more police officers and PCSOs, ensuring community patrols, and establishing a specialized unit to address knife-related robberies.

"She will address the conference by stating that security is fundamental for fostering unity in communities and creating the opportunities that Labour has consistently championed," she will say at the gathering. "Social justice is unattainable without first ensuring justice."

"Respect forms the cornerstone of our democratic system. The core principles of the Labour Party guide our actions and our commitment to making our streets safer."

She vowed to cut knife crime by 50% within ten years and announced a ban on ninja swords, following an introduction by a mother whose son was fatally stabbed with a ninja sword by a teenager at the conference hall where Ms. Cooper was speaking.

The previous administration enacted a prohibition on zombie knives and machetes, which took effect today. However, ninja swords were not covered under this new regulation.

Ms. Cooper announced plans to intensify restrictions on the online sale of hazardous knives, following her earlier statements that Labour intends to impose severe penalties on top executives of internet firms that engage in the illegal sale of knives.

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Ms. Cooper committed to reducing violence against women and girls by 50% over the next ten years, stating: "Because we cannot and we will not allow the next generation of women and girls to endure the same violence as the previous one."

"Our girls are worthy of more than what they're getting."

She discussed the new initiatives she unveiled, such as placing specialists for domestic abuse in emergency call centers and reforming orders for domestic abuse protection, in addition to strengthening regulations against drink spiking.

The home secretary mentioned the measures Labour has implemented to address illegal immigration since they assumed power, such as establishing the Border Security Command to dismantle the networks smuggling migrants via small boats.

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