Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Coyle Excerpts

Wednesday 21st January 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for raising this case, and I am truly sorry to hear about his constituent. If he would not mind following up with the details of the case, I will make sure that it is dealt with urgently on behalf of his constituent.

[Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (Lab)]

Q6. Yesterday I welcomed Bermondsey PC Kevin Webster to Parliament, after his recognition as the Met’s Police Constable of the Year 2025. Will the Prime Minister commend Kevin for his local work, and that of Labour Southwark council’s amazing night time and antisocial behaviour team? Will he tell Members when they will have new powers under the Crime and Policing Bill, and remind the Met that its access standards require all local officers, like Kevin, to be a maximum 20-minute walk from their ward, which is a policy currently going unmet in Rotherhithe?

[The Prime Minister]

May I congratulate Kevin and thank police across our country who are working hard to protect our communities? The Conservative party decimated local policing, and we are restoring it. There will be 3,000 more neighbourhood police on our streets by spring, which is an example of the change that people will feel this year. Our Crime and Policing Bill will give officers more powers to tackle knife crime, shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. I want officers to have those powers as swiftly as possible; the Tories and Reform voted against them.