Robert Jenrick was threatened as he challenged a rail fare dodger over breaking the law. The Shadow Justice Secretary, filming in Stratford, east London, revealed people bursting through gates and walking through unattended barriers.
Mr Jenrick, challenging one fare dodger, asked: “Do you think it’s alright not to pay? Why don’t you go back and pay?” The man then swore at the former government minister.
He said: “I’m warning you now, move.”
Mr Jenrick hit back: “You what? You’re carrying a knife, did you say?”
Confronting another, he said: “Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else does?”
Sources close to the former minister could not definitely confirm the yob was carrying a knife, but stressed he muttered something about being armed.
Transport for London (TfL) loses about £130million every year to fare dodging.
TfL has insisted some 500 officers are deployed on the network to after people refusing to pay.
But, pointing out the lax security, Mr Jenrick said: “There’s eight officers down there, but one minute away, that gate is wide open.
“It’s also just annoying watching so many people break the law and get away with it.”
Mr Jenrick declared: “It’s the same with bike theft, phone theft, tool theft, shoplifting, drugs in town centres, weird Turkish barber shops, it’s all chipping away at society.
“The state needs to reassert itself and go after lawbreakers.”
Fears are intensifying over Labour’s plan to scrap short prison sentences will lead to a “crime wave”.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has accepted proposals to abolish terms of under 12 months, except for in “exceptional” circumstances.
Up to 43,000 criminals a year are set to dodge jail and walk free from court with a “slap on the wrist” under Labour’s soft-justice master plan.
As many as 2,700 burglars, 11,000 shoplifters, 160 car thieves, 600 muggers and 80 robbers could now be handed community sentences, based on 2024 sentencing figures.
It could also include up to 3,000 criminals jailed for assaulting emergency services workers, 3,000 for common assault, 1,200 for causing actual bodily harm and 1,200 for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Also dodging a jail term could be 2,500 criminals convicted of carrying a knife or blade.