Safety for women and girls is rightly a national talking point, arguably more so than it has ever been following some horrific, high-profile cases. I am very proud that my wife, and newly elected councillor, Kate is working proactively on this issue and has submitted a motion to full council setting out what steps the Council can take to increase the safety of women in Swindon.
Licencing and working with venues such as pubs and bars is one area that simple changes can be made to increase safety. The motion recommends better and more tailored training for door staff, as well as initiatives such as Ask for Angela – where women can approach a member of staff and ask for Angela to signal that they are uncomfortable and would like some assistance.
For a long time, the focus has been on what women can do to make themselves safer - but this isn’t fair, we should all be working to ensure that women feel safe, and we should be working to prevent perpetrators. Kate has also spoken on the importance of education, including how we can teach and encourage respectful behaviour, and how men can also support efforts to keep women safe.
I have worked on national campaigns with the inspirational family of Sian O’Callaghan to increase safety nationally, alongside Robert Buckland MP. I want to see Swindon Borough Council leading efforts to address the issue locally and the motion tabled is a really important step towards this.
I was also pleased this week, following the tragic death of PC Andrew Harper in 2019, the government announced it will be introducing ‘Harper’s Law’ into Parliament. His widow, Lissie Harper, has campaigned tirelessly for justice for her late husband, alongside the Thames Valley Police Federation. This was a devastating case, and Mrs Harper’s campaign has reminded us all how important emergency workers are and the contribution they make to our country. ‘Harper’s Law’ will extend mandatory life sentences to those convicted of the manslaughter of an emergency worker while they are working.
This measure reflects the vital role of our emergency workers in protecting us all and recognises the risks emergency workers take every day to keep us safe. I look forward to supporting this measure when it comes before Parliament.
Finally, the government announced yesterday the results of the fan-led review of football governance. This pledge was part of our manifesto in 2019 and was driven by the concerns about the financial vulnerability of English football clubs in the light of the collapse of Bury Football Club, with the timescale sped up following the emergence of the ill-fated European Super League.
Following extensive engagement with fans and stakeholders across the whole football community, including many football fans across Swindon and the excellent STFC Supporter’s Trust, the report made several recommendations. Among others, the main recommendations of the report were: to create a new independent regulator for English football; a stricter new owners and directors test; strengthening supporters’ engagement; greater protection for clubs’ vital assets to remain in their respective local communities; and a fairer distribution of the broadcasting rights for the significant TV deals. I would like to thank Tracey Crouch MP, the Advisory Board, and the thousands of fans from up and down the country who have contributed to the Review.
