WORKINGTON'S two main political parties have come to blows over a parliamentary bill which MP Mark Jenkinson has said is 'welcomed' by people in the constituency.

The MP says the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will give police more powers to deal with unauthorised traveller encampments he says have 'plagued' parts of the constituency - but the Labour Party have strongly disagreed with the MP, saying it is a 'bad bill.'

Speaking after the bill passed in the Commons, Mr Jenkinson said: "The bill introduces a number of important measures that are welcomed by constituents across the Workington constituency.

"Most importantly at a hyperlocal level it gives greater powers to police to deal with the unauthorised traveller encampments that have plagued Workington and Maryport in recent months and years.

"It delivers whole life sentences for child murderers, prevents the early release of offenders, provides for life sentences for people smugglers, protects our NHS workers from assault, delivers life sentences for killer drivers and gives local police forces the powers they need to deal with the types of protests we’ve seen putting peoples life in danger.

"It’s disappointing to see that the Labour Party voted against these measures, showing once again that the Labour Party of Keir Starmer is indistinguishable from that of Jeremy Corbyn."

However, the Labour Party has suggested that Mr Jenkinson may be 'out of step' in regards to his views on the bill and that the government's priorities on this were wrong. 

Chair of the Workington CLP and former police officer Celia Tibble, said: "Keir Starmer has a strong track record of putting criminals behind bars as the former Director of Public Prosecutions.

"Mark Jenkinson has a track record of making scurrilous accusations against local people and the Labour Party with no evidence.

"The government’s priorities in the new Police Bill are all wrong – they won’t increase measures to crack down on rape and violence against women and girls, but they will protect the odd statue and they will give more powers to the police to crack down on British people’s historic and hard-won rights to peaceful protest.

"Mr Jenkinson is out of step with many of his colleagues in the Lords and the Commons. Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights said the government’s proposals are 'oppressive and wrong'.

"The Committee accused the government of trying to create 'new powers in areas where the police already have access to powers and offences which are perfectly adequate'.

"It is a bad bill and it needs sorting out before it becomes law, which is what Labour and other opposition parties are trying to do."