PM Keir Starmer Backs Plans to Make Spiking a Criminal Offense

*Featured Cover Photo Credit: Mina Kim/PA (PA Wire)

The U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has officially provided his backing for Parliament plans to make spiking a criminal offense nationwide. The PM’s backing comes after the Labour Government made spiking a criminal offense as a form of assault under the “Offences Against the Person Act” on July 17th. The criminal offense, which Parliament included it in the 35 proposed bills, also got its introduction during the King’s Speech that occurred on that same date as well.

Other nightlife leaders and industry executives have shown support and praise for the planned passing of the criminal offense, especially since there will be staff training on how to prevent spiking from happening at the venues. That training may roll out starting in spring 2025. An official press release from the UK GOV earlier today affirmed the pledge from PM Keir Starmer, alongside a joint coalition of industry executives, police chiefs, and transport heads, to keep women and girls safe at night by strongly cracking down on spiking. The Prime Minister would later confirmed those initial plans in a meeting with the aforementioned executives, chiefs, and heads on the same day.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Training throughout the UK on how to prevent spiking in all venues

According to an article from Mixmag, the crackdown on spiking will involve widespread training across the nightlife industry. This nationwide training process will utilize the extensive and valuable training of skills to thousands of staffers in noticing the offense right away and preventing it quickly before the victim falls for the crime. A pilot program will commence the plans starting from December.

Afterwards, the training will start its rollout process towards up to 10,000 nightlife workers in spring next year. This is a great step in ensuring a fun and safe nightlife environment and with spiking being made into a criminal offense, it may influence various governments worldwide to enact similar policies relating to that as well. The state of California has even mandated bars and nightclubs to provide drug testing devices for patrons starting this past July. Last but not least, this will show offenders that spiking is a very serious crime and they will face very severe consequences if they receive charges for it. Here is a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Prime Minister Keir Starker that emphasizes the government’s commitment to cracking down on spiking.

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