London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 26, 2026

PMQs: Starmer urges action over violence against women

PMQs: Starmer urges action over violence against women

Sir Keir Starmer has urged the prime minister to strengthen victims' rights, as part of a bid to tackle violence against women.

The Labour leader said nine out of 10 women subjected to sexual violence do not feel confident coming forward.

Boris Johnson said he was "happy to look at new proposals" but insisted ministers have acted in this area.

And he urged a "cultural and social" change over how violence against women is dealt with.

At Prime Minister's Questions, he said he agreed with Sir Keir that the death of Sarah Everard should mark a "turning point" in how the issue is handled.

The 33-year-old marketing executive went missing while walking home from a friend's house on 3 March. Her body was later found in woodland in Kent.

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her kidnap and murder.

The Labour leader said the case should mark a "watershed moment" in how society deals with the "epidemic" of violence against women and girls.

Calling for politicians to "work together" on the issue, he urged the PM to back a "specific new law" on street harassment and "toughen" the law relating to stalking.

He also called for government support to help pass and implement a new law on victims' rights suggested by a Labour MP in under six months.

'Long-term change'


The bill, proposed by shadow victims' minister Peter Kyle, would enshrine rights set out in the Victims' Code in law and empower the government's victims' commissioner to launch their own investigations.

Mr Johnson said he would look at the proposals, but stressed action was already being taken, including £100m for advisers in sexual violence and domestic abuse cases.

He added although this would be "part of the solution," there also needed to be "long-term cultural and societal change to deal with this issue".

"Unless and until we have a change in our culture that acknowledges and understands that women currently do not feel they are being heard, we will not fix this problem," he added.

What would Labour's Victims' Law include?

*  Ensuring victims are read their rights at the same time as perpetrators

*  Creating a register for people who run departments in the justice system which routinely ignore victims' rights

*  Giving victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the same rights as victims of crimes

*  Making the Victims' Commissioner independent of government and able to launch their own investigations


Both leaders decided to speak calmly to show that they are finding common ground in dealing with societal issues of attacks on women.

But, judging by the arguments back and forth, there is no common ground.

From a political point of view, there is no agreement on how to tackle the issue of violence against women, and what the next steps should be.

Although the prime minster said he thought parties should work together on the issue, he did criticise Labour for voting against the government's policing and sentencing bill on Tuesday.

The wide-ranging bill, which contains proposals in a number of areas of criminal justice, has been given initial backing by MPs and will now face further scrutiny.

The prime minister said the legislation contained plans to toughen sentences for sexual and violent offenders and called Labour's decision to oppose it "crazy".

But Sir Keir said "nothing in that bill" would have increased sentences for those convicted of rape.

The Labour leader also criticised "shocking" official rape prosecution figures, adding that 98.5% of rapes reported to police do not lead to prosecution.

The prime minister said he recognised ministers needed to "sort it out" and insisted the government was trying to accelerate the speed at which cases are dealt with.

Was Starmer right on rape statistics?

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs that "only 1.5% of rapes reported to the police lead to a prosecution".

The prime minister agreed that "the prosecution rates for rape were a disgrace".

The statistic to which they are referring comes from Crime Outcomes in England and Wales, 2019-2020.

It shows that the proportion of rape complaints that led to a charge or court summons in the year to the end of March 2020 was 1.4%.


Sir Keir criticised "shocking" figures on rape prosecution


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
Autopsy Finds No Violence in Death of Epstein-Linked Model Scout
Indian Education Minister Resigns After Cockroach Youth Protests
California Desert Data-Centre Plan Stalls as Water and Power Disputes Mount
Northern Ireland Border Security Tightened After Military-Grade Explosive Interception
British Hospitality Sector Targets Summer Visitors Through Regional Promotions
England River Access Debate Intensifies After New Data Shows Limited Public Access
Royal Navy Strengthens Maritime Vigilance Amid Rising Security Concerns
UK Education Department Expands Mental Health Support for Young People Entering Work
UK Tourism Industry Launches Summer Campaigns to Boost Domestic Travel
North England Transport Plans Advance to Support Industrial Growth
Financial Markets Watch New Government’s Economic Strategy as Investors Assess Fiscal Risks
Royal Navy Continues Monitoring Russian Naval Activity Near UK Waters
UK Care Workers May Receive Immigration Exemptions Under Proposed Visa Changes
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Begins Emergency Talks to Address NHS Staffing Shortages
UK Banks Launch High-Interest Savings Offers to Attract Household Deposits
North Sea Oil Drilling Projects Face Delays After Offshore Equipment Accident
Cairngorms Wildfire Highlights Growing Pressure on UK Emergency Services
UK Government Borrowing Plans Put Pressure on Ten-Year Gilt Markets
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Returns After NATO Northern Flank Mission
Metropolitan Police Opens Criminal Investigation Into Reform UK Political Donations
Scottish Government Requests Military Support as Cairngorms Wildfire Forces Emergency Response
Andy Burnham Takes Office as UK Prime Minister and Unveils New Cabinet Team
War, Youth Revolt and the Global Struggle for Control
War, Power and the Rising Price of Political Decisions
High Street Sales Suffer Sharpest Summer Decline in Five Years
Wales Approves Higher Taxes on Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties
Environment Agency Imposes Record £150 Million Penalty on Water Companies
UK Competition Watchdog Blocks U.S. Takeover of Cambridge Chip Designer
Scotland Unveils Land Reform Bill to Expand Renewable Energy Projects
Northern Ireland Secures £500 Million Technology Investment for Belfast Cybersecurity Hub
NHS Rolls Out AI Triage System Across Major Hospitals in England
UK Strengthens North Sea Naval Cooperation With European Allies
UK Chancellor Commits £7 Billion to Accelerate Manchester-Leeds Rail Link
Bank of England Signals Interest Rate Cuts After Inflation Falls Below Target
Badenoch Rejects Grant Shapps' Bid to Return as Conservative Candidate
BAE Chief Warns Britain Has Underestimated the Risk of War
Burnham Rules Out New Scottish Independence Referendum in First Talks With Swinney
UK Government Strengthens Northern Economic Agenda Through Manchester Headquarters and Regional Partnerships
United Kingdom Opens New Furness Peninsula Coastal Route Under King Charles the Third England Coast Path
England Reduces Business Costs for Hospitality Sector Through New Relief Package
United Kingdom Allocates Seven Point Three Million Pounds for Zero-Emission Aviation Research
United Kingdom Begins Restoration Works on Portishead Railway Line After Six Decades Without Passenger Services
United States Tariff Measures Create New Trade Challenges for United Kingdom and European Union Businesses
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Meets Scottish and Welsh Leaders to Promote Regional Growth Cooperation
United Kingdom Government Announces Twenty Percent Business Rates Cut for Pubs, Clubs, and Music Venues
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Manchester Government Headquarters to Shift Decision-Making Away From Westminster
United Kingdom Defence Ministry Says Armed Forces Ready After Iran Accuses London Over US Military Strikes
United Kingdom Inflation Falls to Two Point Six Percent as Prime Minister Andy Burnham Gains Economic Breathing Room
OpenAI Sued After ChatGPT Allegedly Discouraged Emergency Care Before Near-Fatal Embolism
×