Oral Answers to Questions

Baggy Shanker Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The case did not proceed because the policy of the past Government did not meet the test that was necessary. That is the long and the short of it. Far from evading, I have said that I will disclose the full witness statements, and set out exactly what was in them, and exactly what the subsequent statements say. The allegation that somehow they were changed—that the first and second statements are different—is completely and utterly unfounded. This is a pathetic spectacle. Instead of taking responsibility for the fact that they failed to update the law—the review into the legislation was in 2015—the Conservatives took eight years to change the law. Had they done that more quickly, this case would have proceeded. It was their failure, and they are just slinging mud. Meanwhile, we are getting on with renewing our country, planning reforms to get Britain building again, online hospitals for waiting lists, and new opportunities for young people. Labour is building a better future; the Conservatives cannot even come to terms with their past.

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q4. Derby is a city on the up, but unfortunately this last year we have been devastated by knife crime. Nasty Tory austerity decimated frontline policing, and we are now paying the price for that. At my regular city centre safety summits, the message is clear: to turn the page, we need action, not words. Can the Prime Minister update my constituents on the action that this Government are taking to ensure that all our residents, visitors and workers can enjoy our city centre safely?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend will have heard at our conference from Pooja Kanda, who I have met a number of times. Her son Ronan was fatally stabbed. Iusb am proud that we have delivered Ronan’s law to tackle the sale of ninja swords; we have also banned zombie knives and strengthened controls for online knife sales. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s work in setting up the city safety summits.