A row erupted on Facebook between Southampton’s Labour MP, Satvir Kaur, and Donna Jones, Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, after Kaur called for the return of a face-to-face police counter on Shirley High Street.
Kaur, who represents the Southampton Test constituency, took to Facebook to voice concerns about rising crime and antisocial behaviour in Shirley. “Crime and antisocial behaviour in Shirley has got out of hand,” Kaur wrote. “Let’s bring a face-to-face police counter back to the High Street. Huge thanks to those that responded to my recent survey – it’s told me what your priorities are, so that’s why I’m now fighting to turn the old Shirley Housing Office (currently sitting empty) into a police hub. Somewhere local police can be based, with a face-to-face counter for local residents.”
Her comments quickly drew a sharp response from Donna Jones, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, who is also standing as the Tory candidate for the new mayoral post covering the region. Jones replied on Facebook, “Who are you petitioning? The whole police estate comes under me, and you’ve not approached me or asked me about this. Also, a petition should be asking a person or body to do some thing, your ‘petition’ does no such thing. This looks like a data harvesting exercise to get people to sign up to your newsletter. This is really disappointing. If you’d like to meet to discuss policing in your constituency, please email me and I’d be happy to meet. opcc@hampshire.police.uk”
Jones was elected Police and Crime Commissioner in May 2021 and has publicly positioned herself as keen to work with local representatives on policing matters. But her intervention has exposed tensions over how policing priorities are set and communicated to residents.
The public spat follows mounting frustration among Shirley residents about local crime rates and the perceived lack of visible policing in the area. Kaur’s proposal to transform the former Shirley Housing Office into a police hub aims to address those concerns, but it is now clear that the plan will need to win the backing of the Police and Crime Commissioner to move forward.
Residents and local campaigners will be watching closely to see if the two politicians can put their differences aside and agree on a way to improve policing in Shirley.
Often controversial, Satvir Kaur, voted against the amendment for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. The Labour Party as a whole largely rejected the motion, with Kaur listed among MPs who voted against it. This vote drew attention because, later in June 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer reversed Labour’s previous position and announced that the government would launch a national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, following sustained public and political pressure.
