Nov 3rd, 2017
Seni’s Law: Success!
By Becca McCarthy
Good news! “Seni’s Law” just got voted through by MPs. [1] We’re closer to making sure what happened to Seni, who died in a mental health hospital after being held down by 11 police officers, will never happen again. [2]
You got involved in this campaign and helped make this happen. So I hope you feel proud. Together, we’re helping make sure that police get extra training on working with people with mental health issues, so no one suffers the way Seni did.
Seni’s local MP, Steve Reed, put forward this law as a “private member’s bill” – a way for politicians to make new laws on an issue they care about. [3] He said 38 Degrees members like you helped make this happen: “When 38 Degrees members get behind a campaign, MPs pay attention.” [4]
[1] Twitter: House of Commons:
https://twitter.com/HouseofCommons/status/926434543153963008
[2] BBC: Olaseni Lewis: ‘Excessive force’ by officers led to death:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39863209
[3] Seni’s Law is formally known as the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Bill 2017-19:
Parliament.uk: Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Bill 2017-19:
https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/mentalhealthunitsuseofforce.html
[4] 38 Degrees: Seni’s Law:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2017/09/28/senis-law/
