Yvette Cooper comes to Margate

Yesterday Margate was treated to a visit from Yvette Cooper who is the Labour Shadow Home Secretary. Yvette met a local neighbourhood watch group from Dane Valley, and the group talked about police cuts and anti-social behaviour. The event was at John Edwards’ house who, as well as also being a candidate for Dane Valley in the local elections next month, is the Chair of Dane Valley pact and the Neighborhood watch co-ordinator for his street. The meeting was attended by concerned local residents, Labour group leader Clive Hart, KCC Councillor Liz Green, and the other local Labour candidates for Dane Valley ward Sandy Hart and Will Scobie.

After this meeting there was a quick stop off at the Labour office in North Thanet to meet candidates, and then it was on to Garlinge to join Labour candidates Beth Denning and Colin Harvey for some door knocking. Around 20 Labour activists attended and there was a really good response from residents who seemed concerned about the scale of cuts and the amount of local deprivation. Labour group leader Clive Hart said about Yvette’s visit:

 “Yvette was determined to hear the concerns of local residents here in Thanet and was genuinely interested in the issues affecting their daily lives. Time and time again residents expressed real anxiety regarding coalition government cuts to local policing”.

The visit was a great success, and a big thank you to all who helped organise the event.

Yvette Cooper will today launch a new Labour party review of anti-social behaviour policy

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will today launch a new Labour party review of anti-social behaviour (ASB) policy on a visit to Blackpool, amid growing concerns that the Tory-led government is weak on crime and anti-social behaviour. 

Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: 

"The government is taking too many risks with crime and anti-social behaviour and local communities will pay the price. 

"It's not just the cuts to police officers that worry me, they are also tying the hands of the police and local communities who want to put a stop to anti-social behaviour in their area. 

"People want swift action against anti-social behaviour to nip it in the bud. Yet the Tory led government is trying to ditch powers for the police to act quickly in serious cases. 

"Interim ASBOs mean the police can act fast to stop harassment in serious cases, but the government wants to ditch them altogether. And their plans to replace other ASBOs with much weaker civil injunctions means that persistent offenders won't face the force of the criminal courts. 

"Labour's Respect programme and neighbourhood policing did help cut anti-social behaviour in many areas, but too many communities are still blighted by persistent nuisance, harassment or bad behaviour, and our priority now is to work with local communities on how to do more. 

"But when I talk to victims, residents, the police or community champions across the country, no one ever calls for fewer police, weaker powers or less youth services. This Government is completely out of touch on crime and anti-social behaviour, and it's unfair on victims and communities who are at greatest risk."