Kit thanks local people for helping force early release rethink

Kit has thanked the thousands of people in North West Hampshire who signed the petition opposing the early release of PC Andew Harper’s killers.

More than 4,000 people in NW Hants signed the petition — making it among the top ten constituencies in the country for the number of signatures.The petition has attracted more than a million signatures nationally.

The government has now changed its plans so that those convicted of manslaughter and other unlawful killings will be excluded from the new early release arrangements. 

Kit, who was Policing Minister when PC Harper was killed on the edge of the constituency in 2019, had urged local people to sign the petition and pressed the government to think again. 

He said: 

"A huge thank you to the thousands of people across North West Hampshire who signed this petition and forced common sense to prevail.

"PC Harper went to work that night to protect the public and was dragged to his death behind a getaway car. It’s a shocking reminder of the dangers police officers face, and the worry their families carry.

"Pressure on this scale is exactly what makes a government think again, and I’m glad they’ve finally listened.

"This campaign has been led with great dignity by Andrew’s family and the Police Federation, and I’m proud that people in North West Hampshire stood with them.”

ENDS

Kit was notified of the petition numbers by the Chair of Thames Valley Police Federation. 

4,183 people from North West Hampshire had signed the petition as of 21st August 2026.