What does the pledge mean?

In its manifesto, Labour said it would introduce new Respect Orders, giving powers to “ban persistent adult offenders from town centres, which will stamp out issues such as public drinking and drug use”.

The orders form part of wider plans to tackle antisocial behaviour. According to the most recent estimates from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, 36% of people experienced or witnessed some type of antisocial behaviour in the year ending September 2024. That same year, police forces across England and Wales recorded one million incidents of antisocial behaviour. 

The measure supports one of the government’s five headline missions, to “take back our streets”, as set out in Labour’s manifesto.

What progress has been made?

The provisions needed to bring in Respect Orders form part of the Crime and Policing Bill which is currently being considered in Parliament. As a result we’re now rating this pledge “in progress - appears on track”.

The government says Respect Orders will give the police and local councils powers to crack down on those involved in repeated incidents of antisocial behaviour, such as street drinking, vandalism, harassment or riding off-road bikes in public parks. 

Failure to comply with Respect Orders will be a criminal offence, and the police will be able to arrest anyone who breaches them. Potential punishments include prison sentences of up to two years, unlimited fines, community orders and curfews. 

The orders will be piloted before being rolled out nationally, but the government has yet to provide precise details of how many pilots will run or where they will take place.