Wednesfield businesses represented in passionate plea in House of Commons
City MP, Sureena Brackenridge raised business concerns in House of Commons sitting calling for significant expansion of police powers to save town High Street.
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On Monday, MPs on the Green Benches assembled to debate the Crime and Policing Bill, and the views of businesses from Wednesfield High Street were raised in the Palace of Westminster.
Sureena Brackenridge MP said: “I am in full support of the Crime and Policing Bill, because frankly it is absolutely shocking that many of the crimes that plague our High Streets are going unpunished”
“We need to crack down on violent attacks on shop workers, stamp out shop lifting, and make sure that anti-social behaviours and illegal off-road bikes are correctly recognised as impacting on the lives of ordinary people. The law should be on the side of protecting ordinary residents and businesses, but at the moment it is letting criminals get away with it”
Mrs Brackenridge, elected in July last year, took representatives from West Midlands Police to Wednesfield High Street to discuss the matter.
“Just last Friday, I went out on patrol with our neighbourhood police in Wednesfield High Street. While Wednesfield is a safe area with lower crime than other high streets in Wolverhampton, I was appalled to hear from shopkeepers about the brazen thefts they endure.”
“I met a young woman, just turned 19, who is petrified every time it happens. And it happens every day in her shop. Theft has become so normalised that staff struggle to report every incident because they simply can’t keep up.”
USDAW, the Retail Workers’ Union has been calling for the measures in this Bill and stronger protections for years.
"Retail crime is not victimless. Our members report being verbally abused, threatened, and assaulted on a daily basis. Tougher laws are needed to protect shop workers, and we welcome this legislation as a vital step in tackling retail violence."
Sureena Brackenridge MP added “This Bill will make my constituents safer, and will make sure they feel safer.”
“To the criminals wo are getting away with stealing cars, intimidating shop staff, and destroying our green spaces with illegal bikes, enough is enough. This ends now. I wholeheartedly support this Bill, let’s get it passed and reclaim our streets”.
