Justice Secretary Chris Grayling hit the campaign trail today in support of Conservative parliamentary candidates Jackie Doyle-Price and Stephen Metcalfe.

The Minister of State was at Grays Shopping Centre and High Street to talk to punters and traders about police cuts, anti-social behaviour – and how his last visit to Thurrock inspired a change in the law.

Asked how police cuts had affected Thurrock, Mr Grayling said: “The real story here in Thurrock is failure to enforce existing law. The powers are in place to deal with everything.

"We have made police work more efficient – and that means making it easier for police to be out on the streets dealing with problems instead of spending all their time indoors.”

Parliamentary candidate Jackie Doyle-Price also warned of rising anti-social behaviour in the borough.

She said Thurrock could become a ‘magnet’ for travellers over the summer unless police and the council worked together to stop the problem.

Jackie Doyle-Price, who is fighting to be re-elected as MP in May, said: “We are going to have a real problem over the summer once Harlow puts through its injunction against travellers. Thurrock will become a magnet.”

Speaking of her four years as MP and crime, Ms Doyle-Price added: “The problem in Thurrock is with managing bad behaviour – as soon as a lot of people start drinking out on the streets crime becomes more of an issue.”

She said: “Look at Thurrock town centre and the problem we have with people drinking outside. The problem in Thurrock is the failure to enforce the law. The law exists but the council and police need to work together more to stamp out the problems. We need zero-tolerance.”

When quizzed if cuts in leisure centres had contributed to the rise in anti-social behaviour, Ms Doyle-Price said government had a responsibility to “liberate people so they could run their own community activities.”

She said: “I don’t think that any young person wants to go to a council-run centre in Thurrock. The state can get in the way of good community activity.”

Mr Grayling added: “There’s an extraordinary diversity of activities that are going on in Thurrock – people just need to go out and find them.”

The Justice Secretary also named Thurrock as one of the key inspirations for recent policy changes – including changing the law so that businesses can have rights – as well as individuals.

Mr Grayling said: “Eighteen months ago I came to West Thurrock Way and spoke to mechanics’ workshops down there. They were having metal nicked regularly and costing them hundreds of pounds.

"Because of that visit I changed the legislation and businesses now have the right to take individuals to court.”

Jackie Doyle-Price is fighting to win back her parliamentary seat in Thurrock, and Stephen Metcalfe is fighting to win back his seat in South Basildon and East Thurrock.