Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Phil Norris

Wales' child smacking ban should be extended to rest of UK says Sir Keir Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said other areas of the UK should follow Wales’ lead in banning the smacking of children. The physical punishment of children is now outlawed in Wales.

Any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, has been made illegal in the country from Monday. It means children will get the same protection from assault as adults, and the law will apply to everyone, even those visiting Wales – as is the case with all Welsh laws.

The “smacking ban”, as it is known, was brought in under the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 and marks the end of the common law defence of “reasonable punishment”. Parents or anyone who is responsible for a child while the parents are absent can now face criminal or civil charges if they are found to have physically disciplined a young person in any way.

Speaking on a visit to Stevenage, Sir Keir said the move in Wales was “welcome”. He said: What it does is give children the protection that adults already have, and that is the right thing,” he told reporters.

“I would like to see the rest of the UK step into line here, because I think, well, Welsh Labour have taken a lead here and they’re absolutely right to protect children in the way that they now have.” Critics of the law change have said it will criminalise parents, but the Welsh Government has insisted the move is about protecting children’s rights.

Wales joins more than 60 nations worldwide in legislating against the physical punishment of children. Scotland introduced its own ban in November 2020.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.