Local shops are at the centre of our community. It has been horrific, therefore, to see the increase in retail crime over the past few years. Not only does this put shop-workers at risk, but it also threatens the very heart of our community.
USDAW found that 70% of retail workers have experienced verbal abuse at work, 46% have been threatened by a customer and 18% have been physically assaulted. Shoplifting also hit record highs last year with 50 offences being recorded every hour.
I committed at the general election to make Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton a safe place to live. This can’t happen when our highstreets are polluted with crime, antisocial behaviour, and abuse to workers.
No one should be in fear at work. I have long campaigned, as the Chair of the Cooperative Party, for and alongside retail workers to ensure the strongest potential protections to make our highstreets a safe place to work and to live.
I am proud that we have committed to steps in the budget to end retail crime once and for all. By scrapping the effective immunity for low-value shoplifting and providing additional funding for training to prevent shoplifting, we shall hopefully see a dramatic decrease in retail crime and a return to safe highstreets.
This government is proactive in tackling retail crime, reclaiming our highstreets, and protecting our communities.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 