More than 4,000 people in North West Hampshire have been praised by an MP for helping force a government rethink.
Kit Malthouse MP thanked residents for signing a petition opposing the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.
The campaign drew more than one million signatures nationally and led the government to exclude those convicted of manslaughter and other unlawful killings from new early release arrangements.
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Mr Malthouse, who was policing minister at the time of PC Harper’s death in 2019, said: "A huge thank you to the thousands of people across North West Hampshire who signed this petition and forced common sense to prevail.
"PC Harper went to work that night to protect the public and was dragged to his death behind a getaway car.
"It’s a shocking reminder of the dangers police officers face, and the worry their families carry.
"Pressure on this scale is exactly what makes a government think again, and I’m glad they’ve finally listened."
He said the campaign was led with "great dignity" by PC Harper’s family and the Police Federation.
Mr Malthouse said: "I’m proud that people in North West Hampshire stood with them."
He was notified of the petition numbers by the chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation.
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