Feryal Clark MP slams Government over shameful Policing Bill

Today sees the return of the Government’s Policing, Sentencing and Courts Bill, a damaging and destructive piece of legislation which does more to protect statues than it does to protect victims, and fails to address the crisis in our police and justice system that has been created by a decade of cuts and failed Tory ideology.

Of particular concern to me is the bills’ complete failure to tackle the serious issue of violence against women and girls.

The tragic death of Sarah Everard instigated a national demand for action to tackle violence against women. The last thing the Government should be doing is rushing poorly thought-out measures to impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to protest.

Now is the time to unite the country and put in place on long overdue protections for women against unacceptable violence, including action against domestic homicides, rape and street harassment – as well as tackling the misogynistic attitudes that underpin the abuse women face.

Instead, the Conservatives have brought forward a Bill that is seeking to divide the country. It is a mess, which could lead to harsher penalties for damaging a statue than for attacking a woman.

Labour has been calling on the Government to drop its poorly thought-out proposals and instead work with Labour to legislate to tackle violence against women which is forcing so many across the country to live in fear.

This bill also does nothing to change the Government’s shameful record on rape convictions and protecting victims of rape.

Boris Johnson has been forced to apologise for his Government’s 11 years of cuts causing rape convictions and prosecutions to fall to an all-time low, while delays for victims have rocketed to a record high. It is shameful that despite the Prime Minister’s crocodile tears, the Conservatives voted against Labour’s proposals to end violence against women and girls at every stage of the Bill’s passage.

Labour has tabled an amendment to ensure victims of rape and serious sexual offences should be able to have their evidence recorded and cross-examined prior to trial. This would ensure that victims can give their evidence as soon as possible, improving the accuracy of their testimony, relieving some of the stress and anxiety caused while awaiting a trial, and allowing them to pursue pre-trial counselling.

This bill isn’t tough on crime, and does nothing to support our police or improve our justice system, it is a shameful piece of legislation that is playing petty political games rather than tackling the root causes of crime and providing victims with the support they need.