It's a disgrace that shop workers have to endure violence...Labour will stop it

LABOUR'S manifesto will pledge laws to crack down on violence against shop staff, says Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

- MIKEY SMITH

YVETTE COOPER'S PLEDGE

Ms Cooper said the party would take action to end the tide of aggression and vowed to stop police ignoring thefts valued at under £200.

Speaking to staff at a Co-op store, Ms Cooper heard harrowing tales of staff threatened with hammers and knives, and being sprayed with petrol.

She said: "It's a disgrace shop workers have to endure this at work.

"Everybody should be able to feel safe. During Covid these were key workers who kept everything going.

"Labour is determined we will pass a new law to make a specific offence of assaults and abuse against shop workers and to make sure it's taken seriously by the police."

As Ms Cooper laid out Labour's plans at the supermarket in Stapleford, Notts, new analysis showed shoplifting is soaring fastest in Tory areas across England.

Of the 10 areas with the largest rises since 2015, Labour found seven have Tory Police and Crime Commissioners.

The biggest increase was in Sussex, under Conservative crime tsar Katy Bourne more than doubling since 2015 to over 17,100 offences, or nearly 300 a week.

Other big increases came in Nottinghamshire, up by 92%, and West Mercia - which includes Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire - where shoplifting rose 58%.

Nationally, incidents are up by 37% in just one year to 49 every hour.

Ms Cooper also promised to end the "shoplifters' charter" under which police won't press charges unless the value of stolen goods is over £200.

It has led to professional shoplifters stealing up to £180 of goods, then moving on to other stores.