As the Home Office Minister for A Crime and Policing, I see the awful effects of knife crime.
I speak to family members numbed by the grief of losing a loved one. I see communities shuddering from seeing violence play out on their streets. And I hear about senseless attacks from across the country involving a knife. All of this has hardened my determination to reduce knife crime, particularly when it affects young people.
Now this is a complex issue which requires thoughtful consideration.
Knife crime, homicide and youth violence has fallen under this government. But everyone needs to feel safer in their homes, their schools and on their streets. We understand this, and after talking at length with anti-knife crime organisations, are going further to educate and deter young people from carrying weapons.
We recently amended the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act that so every adult convicted of a second knife possession offence, unless in exceptional circumstances, will get at least 6 months in prison.
We recently launched a public consultation with the intention of banning machetes and other dangerous knives which have no practical use.
While machetes may have legitimate uses in gardening or agriculture, there is no reason someone should brandish one on our streets.
We announced our aim to ban these so called ‘Rambo’ and ‘zombie’ style knives.
Trauma surgeons have spoken of their horror treating wounds inflicted by these weapons, which have no purpose on the streets other than causing unimaginable harm to victims and sow fear.
Another proposal in the consultation looks to ban the sale of these weapons online or in shops. And we are looking to ensure that anyone who sells a dangerous knife to a child will face a bigger penalty – up to two years in prison.
And when police officers find dangerous knives in homes, we will give them powers to make it easier to seize and destroy the blades they find.
Tougher sentencing and penalties for carrying weapons must be matched by positive steps to educate people against carrying knives.
The government is using every tool it has to do this. It has provided £170 million for Violence Reduction Units, a programme which identifies and combats the key causes of youth violence in twenty badly affected neighbourhoods in England and Wales.
Local partners in the community – in healthcare, policing and education – guide at risk children away from crime with workshops, therapy and sports.
These partnerships have prevented an estimated 136,000 violent offences in England and Wales.
While this number may sound arbitrary, it represents a wave of young people deciding to not carry a weapon, and instead, look towards a more positive future.
Violence Reduction Units are just one of the Home Office funded programmes which aim to reduce knife crime.
The statistics show the plan is working, but this requires continued collaboration between partners and renewed vigour to send a clear message that you cannot carry a knife.
The Rt Hon Chris Philp MP
Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire
