Keir Starmer has pledged to make spiking drinks a criminal offense as part of Labour’s broader commitment to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Speaking on Monday, Starmer urged police, hospitality leaders, and transport chiefs to join forces in bringing offenders to justice, reaffirming his promise to “take back our streets.”

Labour has set an ambitious goal to halve incidents of VAWG over the next decade, with plans to introduce legislation targeting drink spiking, although the timeline for its implementation remains unclear.

The initiative forms part of a wider government effort to expand protections and empower workers in nightlife and hospitality sectors to prevent spiking incidents, support victims, and collect evidence effectively.

The government has announced that by spring, 10,000 workers in the hospitality sector will receive training to address spiking. This training builds on a pilot scheme launched last December, aiming to raise awareness and equip staff to intervene in cases of spiking while supporting victims.

Labour has committed to creating a new offense for spiking, as promised in its manifesto, but critics have noted the absence of specific legislation in the recent King’s Speech. Starmer, however, reiterated his determination to deliver on this pledge. “I made a promise that, if elected, I would make spiking a new criminal offense,” he said. “Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge.“

Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, described the spiking initiative as vital to restoring public confidence. “Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims,” Cooper said.

“These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward and ensuring a robust response from the police whenever these appalling crimes take place.”
Yvette Cooper

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Coordinated Action Across Agencies

As part of the effort to combat VAWG, Starmer held discussions with police and industry leaders in Downing Street on Monday. The talks explored strategies already in use, such as deploying plain-clothes officers in nightlife areas to monitor and deter predatory behavior.

Chief Constable Jason Hogg of Thames Valley Police shared insights on how his force is utilizing such measures, while Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi of British Transport Police highlighted the relaunch of the text-to-report number, 61016. This free service, available on all major networks, allows women to seek help in cases of harassment or danger while traveling by train.

Kate Nicholls, the CEO of UKHospitality, and Chief Constable Maggie Blythe, who leads the National Police Chiefs’ Council efforts on VAWG, were among the key figures present at the meeting.

Starmer emphasized the importance of creating safer environments for women and girls.

“My government was elected on a pledge to take back our streets, and we will never achieve this if women and girls do not feel safe at night.
“Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry, and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply traveling home.”
Keir Starmer

The Labour leader also acknowledged the difficulty victims face in reporting spiking incidents and the challenges in prosecuting offenders. “We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offense, to justice,” he said.

Labour’s broader VAWG strategy aims to halve incidents of violence against women within the next decade, but Cooper admitted the challenges in measuring progress. “This pledge is ambitious,” she said during an annual summit with police chiefs last week. “We need comprehensive reforms to overhaul policing and ensure effective implementation of these strategies.“

As such, as Labour prepares to introduce legislation making spiking a criminal offense, the party’s leaders stress the importance of collective action. The initiative, which includes empowering hospitality workers, deploying covert police officers, and expanding victim support measures, reflects Labour’s commitment to tackling a pressing societal issue and delivering justice for victims.