MP demands better support for riot victims

Croydon North MP Steve Reed has called for the Riots Compensation Bill now going through Parliament to be strengthened. 

The Bill, which enjoys cross-party support, updates the existing 1886 laws which were found to be woefully out of date following the 2011 riots during which areas of Croydon were hit particularly hard.

Mr Reed, a member of the committee scrutinising the proposals in detail, has called for them to be further strengthened before becoming law.  He wants action to stop insurance premiums rising to unaffordable levels in areas affected by riots, assurances that donations from the public will not be deducted from official compensation payments, and a stronger voice for communities in overseeing riot compensation.

Steve Reed MP said: “Businesses and residents along the London Road in Croydon suffered terribly during the riots in 2011.  It took far too long for many of them to receive compensation, and even today many continue to suffer with unaffordable insurance premiums that threaten their businesses’ financial future.

The local community was frustrated they had no voice in how recovery funds were spent, and angry that money donated by the public to help those who suffered the most was deducted from official pay-outs.  I will keep fighting to ensure people are treated more fairly if, god forbid, there were to be a repeat of those dark days in 2011.”