Marco Longhi MP for campaigning for a Police Covenant

Home Secretary Priti Patel has praised Marco Longhi MP for campaigning for a Police Covenant to ensure officers in the West Midlands are recognised for the risks they take to keep the public safe.

The MP for Dudley North met with Ms Patel at a police event in Westminster on Wednesday, where MPs discussed Government plans to introduce the Covenant and its promise to recruit more officers on the streets from next month(APR).

Marco Longhi is part of Blue Collar Conservatism (BCC), a group which campaigned for the Covenant and increase in police numbers – two measures Government adopted.

Marco Longhi said: "I’m so pleased to see such a surge in police numbers, especially here in the Black Country. In addition, it is vital that our police officers are fully recognised for the work they do and the risk they take – I can’t  praise them enough for helping to keep our communities safe.”

Speaking at the event the Home Secretary said BCC was crucial to the recent General Election victory and praised the group for pushing an agenda that ensures working class people are at the forefront of what Government does.

Ms Patel added: "MPs have been hearing from our hard-working constituents about their concerns on crime for a long time. That’s why last year I promised, alongside the Prime Minister, that our party would take its rightful place as the Party of Law and Order in Britain once again.

“Every day as Home Secretary I am working on sending a clear message to criminals that they will be properly punished, so that the law-abiding majority, voters across the country and especially in blue-collar seats can live their lives free from the fear of crime.”

An eight-week consultation into what should be included in the Covenant is underway. BCC would like the Covenant to include tougher sentences for people who assault an officer, protecting the mental health of serving and retired officers, equipping them with the right resources and powers to do the job and legal support for the tough on the spot decisions they have to make to protect the public.

The group also lobbied for more officers and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised an additional 20,000 officers across England and Wales within the next three years. The first recruitment tranche will see 366 recruited in the West Midlands in 2020/21.


For more information visit www.bluecollarconservatism.co.uk

Follow on Twitter @bluecollartory_

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/police-covenant-for-england-and-wales