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# Labour by-election candidate meets Shadow Home Secretary to discuss plans to tackle increase in shoplifting
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/labour-by-election-candidate-meets-shadow-home-secretary-to-discuss-plans-to-tackle-increase-in-shoplifting/
- Published: 2023-09-20T06:09:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-09-19T11:13:48.000Z
- Description: A Labour by-election candidate has discussed plans to tackle crimes such as shoplifting with the Shadow Home Secretary.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Fazeley, Politics, Shenstone, Stonnall, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:01, News

A Labour by-election candidate has discussed plans to tackle crimes such as shoplifting with the Shadow Home Secretary.

Sarah Edwards will contest the Tamworth parliamentary seat – which includes areas such as Fazeley, Shenstone and Stonnall – next month following the resignation of Christopher Pincher.

She welcomed Yvette Cooper to discuss figures that showed shoplifting figures in the constituency area were up by 55% for the year ending March 2023.

Labour say they are committed to ensuring more police officers were patrolling shopping areas and provide named officers for workers to contact to prevent shoplifting and attacks on retail staff.

Sarah said:

> “The cuts to local police, and the closure of the town centre police station all have an impact on our community.  
>  
> “It’s one of my priorities to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour by holding the council and the police to account.  
>  
> “I’ll fight for more visible policing in our town and on our high streets.”  
>  
> Sarah Edwards

Labour say plans to tackle crime will also help fight those “spreading fear” in shopping areas.

The Shadow Home Secretary said:

> “The Conservatives have turned their backs on our town centres and communities are being let down.  
>  
> “Shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, vandalism and town centre crime have shot up, with local shopworkers facing increasing violence and abuse. This is hollowing out our high streets and undermining local business.  
>  
> “There are too few consequences for gangs and vandals making the lives of shopworkers a misery and blighting local communities. Labour will put neighbourhood police patrols back in our town centres to crack down on local shoplifting gangs and abuse, so shopworkers don’t have to deal with these attacks alone.”  
>  
> Yvette Cooper

*Candidates currently confirmed for the Tamworth parliamentary by-election are:*

- *Andrew Cooper – Conservatives*
- *Ian Cooper – Reform UK*
- *Sarah Edwards – Labour*
- *Richard Kingstone – Independent*
- *Sunny Virk – Lib Dem*