CLACTON by-election UKIP candidate Douglas Carswell claims important “stop-and-search” powers used to tackle knife crime in the resort are being watered down by the Government.

As part of his campaign, Mr Carswell met Caroline Shearer at the Only Cowards Carry charity shop, in Jackson Road.

Mrs Shearer launched the charity following the murder of her son, Jay Whiston, outside a house party in Colchester two years ago.

Mr Carswell hit out at Government ministers for not being serious about tackling knife crime.

He said: “Following a spate of knife crimes in the centre of Clacton, Operation Statesman saw the police in Clacton arrest 30 people using stop-and-search powers.

“Now the Home Secretary has deliberately watered down police stop-and-search powers because of concerns she has about policing London.

“By foisting London police priorities on to Clacton, our local police will now not be able to stop-and search to deter knife crime the way they have in the past.

“Ministers talk tough on crime when they want votes. But what they have actually done is make it harder for us to have the kind of local policing here in Clacton that people want to tackle knife crime.”

Mr Carswell’s comments came after Home Secretary Theresa May welcomed reforms of stop-and-search powers.

She said: “Nobody wins when stop-and-search is misused. It can be an enormous waste of police time and damage the relationship between the public and police.”

Mr Carswell also backed Mrs Shearer’s calls for a permanent knife amnesty bin in Clacton town centre.