Fighting for Better Justice
One of the issues I have focussed on during my time in Parliament is on how our justice system can better serve victims of crime. As the son of a policeman, and former volunteer policeman myself, I know just how let down people can feel when they do not get the justice they deserve.
I have successfully campaigned with Lissie Harper, the wife of PC Andrew Harper who was murdered while on duty, to bring in Harpers Law, so that those who kill emergency service workers, while they are protecting us on the frontline, will get a mandatory life sentence.
I have also voted alongside the Government to bring in a programme of changes to our sentencing, bringing in new tougher guidelines for crimes such as death by dangerous driving, and to ensure that serious offenders spend more time behind bars.
We also need to see more police officers on our street, fighting crime and bringing criminals to justice. In our manifesto we promised to recruit 20,000 new police officers. To date, we are well on our way, with over 15,000 newly employed officers in forces up and down the country.
I do believe, however, that we need to go further. I have pushed the Government to bring in tougher sentences for crimes such as the murder of a child. Anyone who takes the life of a child deserves to spend the rest of their life behind bars, yet even those who receive ‘life sentences’ rarely spend their whole life in prison. I have lead debates in Parliament to bring in whole life tariffs for the crime of child murder so that those who carry out this abhorrent crime never step out of prison again.