Shoplifting crackdown, ninja sword ban and spiking to be a made a criminal offence: Labour's plans to get tough on crime in King's Speech

Labour has vowed to get tough on crime by cracking down on shoplifting, banning ninja swords and making spiking a criminal offence. 

A new Crime Bill unveiled in the King's Speech will introduce 'stronger measures' to tackle low-level shoplifting following a surge in retail thefts and bring in the specific offence of assaulting a shopworker. 

Sir Keir Starmer vowed during the election campaign to reverse the so-called 'shoplifters' charter' introduced in 2014, under which the theft of goods under £200 is considered 'low value'. 

Labour today pledged to strengthen community policing and introduce new 'Respect Orders' to target people causing a nuisance in their communities.

Making spiking a specific offence is aimed at making it easier for the police to target perpetrators. The King's Speech also promises measures to 'provide a stronger, specialist response to violence against women and girls'. 

A separate Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill contains further measures to 'strengthen support for victims', including other policies such as forcing offenders to attend sentencing hearings. 

Labour's vow to 'take back the streets' follows worrying rises in street-level offences including knife crime and shoplifting. 

Official figures show that knife crime rose by 7 per cent in the year to December 2023. 

In the year to March 2023, 82 per cent of teenage homicide victims were killed with a knife, compared to 73 per cent in the previous year. 

Meanwhile, shoplifting has risen to the highest level on record amid complaints the crime has been effectively 'decriminalised'.

A total of 430,104 offences were recorded by police in the year to December 2023, up by more than a third (37%) from 315,040 in the previous 12 months.

The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Retail bosses have accused ministers of allowing shoplifting to become effectively decriminalised, with many police forces failing to attend the majority of reports and failing to gather any evidence when they do.

Under 40 per cent of shoplifting reports were attended by the Met between April 2022 and April 2023, recent figures revealed. 

In his speech to Parliament, King Charles said today: 'Legislation will be brought forward to strengthen community policing, and give the police greater powers to deal with antisocial behaviour.' 

Labour has also promised to bring forward Martyn's Law, which is focused on improving security at public venues and named after Manchester Arena bombing victim, Martyn Hett.

A bill, which would have required venues to prepare for terrorist attacks, was dropped in May.