Rachel Blake

Rachel Blake

Labour (Co-op) — Cities of London and Westminster

Speaking in the House of Commons on 4 November 2026

Debate

Strategic Licensing Regulations: London

Contribution

I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. She makes a powerful point about the overriding significance of the four licensing objectives. Public safety and preventing crime are critical objectives, and they mean an awful lot to my constituents. These criteria provide greater certainty for residents, businesses and local authorities alike. However, Parliament should still ask whether the thresholds now adopted reflect the expectations created during the consideration of the parent legislation. During the passage of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, Ministers repeatedly described these powers as exceptional, carefully constrained and a measure of last resort. The House of Lords approved the principle before seeing the detailed definition. Parliament has now seen both the regulations and the accompanying guidance. It is therefore reasonable now to ask whether the practical operation of these powers will remain consistent with those assurances.

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