Darlington's MP Peter Gibson is set to meet the Home Secretary next week to discuss spiking issues in his constituency. 

New allegations of spiking in Darlington's pubs have emerged this week, with as many as six people claimed that they were spiked in the same venue over one weekend.

This ignited discussion in the town over the best way forward - drawing politicians into the debate. 

Mr Gibson's announcement follows a debate in Parliament, tabled by MP for Gloucester Richard Graham, which saw cross-party calls to amend laws and make spiking a specific, named offence.

During her tenure, former Home Secretary Priti Patel that she would create a specific offence to "target spiking directly". 

Read more: Woman taken to hospital as spiking incident in Darlington

Home Office minister Sarah Dines said a new law is "unnecessary" because there are "already several offences which cover incidents of spiking" and the Government has not found "any gap in the law that a new spiking offence would fill".

Darlington's Parliamentary candidate Lola McEvoy labelled the decision "just not good enough."

Darlington has been plagued by allegations of spiking in the nighttime economy since summer, leading to concerns over its attractiveness to potential revellers. Calls for increased thorough investigations and increased funding have been vocalised by local officials. 

Mr Gibson said: "I have secured a meeting with the Home Secretary next week in Parliament to discuss this important issue further [...] and have further meetings planned locally."

"Darlington's night time economy is vibrant and attractive, and these reports are rare. People should however take sensible precautions to ensure that they know where their drinks are at all times and not leave them unattended, and where available protection is used to safeguard your drink."

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Cllr Jonathan Dulston said: "This needs to be nipped in the bud swiftly so people feel confident and safe to come out in Darlington and enjoy themselves."

The debate in Parliament also saw praise issued for police successes when it comes to tackling spiking. Northumbria Police were credited with "leading the way" with efforts to keep people safe when enjoying a night out in Newcastle.

The force's Operation Cloak has been helping to keep partygoers safe since 2019. Sarah Jones MP, Shadow Mister for Policing and Fire Service, cited police work happening in the North East of England as a positive example of how the vulnerable are protected in the nighttime economy.