MEON Valley MP Flick Drummond has welcomed a new law that will extend mandatory life sentences for the manslaughter of on-duty emergency workers.

‘Harper’s Law’ has been introduced into Parliament following the death of PC Andrew Harper in 2019.

His widow, Lissie Harper, has campaigned tirelessly for the measure in memory of her late husband, alongside Police Federations and MPs.

She recently met Ms Drummond in Westminster to discuss her campaign.

“I very much welcome this new law that will do a great deal to protect emergency workers and recognise the dangerous job they often have to do,” said Ms Drummond.

“PC Harper’s widow has done so much to make this an issue of national importance and I am happy the Government has listened to her campaign and acted in this way. I know her husband would be proud of her.”

The law is to be incorporated into the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to cover police, prison officers, firefighters, and paramedics. It will apply to 16 and 17-year-olds as well as adult offenders in England and Wales. It will be used for those who kill on-duty emergency workers while committing a crime.

Judicial discretion to allow for the imposition of an alternative sentence in truly exceptional circumstances is part of the proposed law.

The minimum term the offender must spend in prison before being considered for parole on licence or ‘tariff’, remains for the courts to determine.

Newly-married PC Harper, 28, was dragged to his death by a getaway car in Berkshire in August 2019 after answering a call to a burglary.

Three teenagers were jailed for manslaughter.