Knife crime is not a random, isolated event. It is the consequence of decisions made by individuals who choose to carry knives and by successive governments who have watched on as this crisis has continued to escalate.
Knife crime in England and Wales has been rising for a long time. In 2014, there were just over 27,000 recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument. By 2019, it had doubled to over 52,000 and it looks like knife crime rates aren’t dropping any time soon. Current stats are nearly identical to pre-pandemic levels, the highest we’ve seen, and in London alone there’s been a 60% increase in three years under Mayor Khan’s watch.
What we must remember is that these numbers point to hundreds of lives lost and families devastated. It should fill all our politicians with a sense of shame as more still needs to be done. That is why I was pleased to introduce a Westminster Hall debate on knife crime this week.
Some will say plenty is being done. They’ll point to metal detectors, so-called “knife arches”, being installed in schools and colleges. But let me ask this: how did we get to the point where we need airport style security simply to send our kids to learn English and Maths?
They’ll highlight bans on certain knives like zombie knives. This is no bad thing if it means fewer weapons on our streets. But we know over half of all fatal stabbings use a simple kitchen knife. If someone wants to cause a person serious harm, they don’t need a zombie knife.
I’ve also read about “knife surrender bins” or “knife amnesties”. How have we got to the point where we’re politely asking people to hand in their own weapons? I said it in my debate, and I’ll say it again; this is not policing or law enforcement. It is total surrender to the problem.
A lot of people say stop and search doesn’t have an impact on crime rates. They claim it doesn’t put people off from carrying knives, but stop and search is not only about deterrence, it is about detection.
In the year ending March 2024, police officers in England and Wales conducted over 500,000 searches. Over 70,000 people were arrested, and 16,000 weapons were seized. That’s countless potential murders, assaults, robberies, and serious sexual offences prevented.
We cannot allow fear of red tape or accusations of “institutional racism” or “unconscious bias” stop police officers from doing their jobs.
In the same way, our courts need to be tougher. Only 28 per cent of people caught with a knife went to prison in 2023, down from 33% in 2019. Dangerous men are walking away with little more than a slap on the wrist.
Prison sentences are too short, and community sentences are still being handed out to most youth offenders. It’s no wonder lads are carrying knives in broad daylight and showing them off on TikTok. They know our justice system is a soft touch.
That said, we can’t forget that adults are the primary offenders, responsible for over 80% of knife crime offences. It’s not just an isolated issue amongst youngsters, and it’s no wonder when grown men are getting let off too.
Just a couple of weeks ago, we saw a man avoid prison despite attacking someone with a knife because that person was burning a Quran. In this instance, the court has said it is okay for you to take justice into your own hands. All the while you can get locked up for an offensive tweet or Facebook comment. Where is the justice in that? We need stronger, mandatory sentences for knife crime offences.
I recently asked the Home Office how many illegal migrants had been found carrying weapons upon arrival into the UK. I was told “some small weapons – for example, knives – have occasionally been seized as a result of searches over the past seven years”. How many knives have been found and how often? How many of these men are still here, being put up in taxpayer-funded hotels? I have written to the Home Secretary to find out what is happening to men who arrive on our shores with knives.
I’m sick of seeing politicians standing at vigils or speaking on the news – sharing their sympathies with the families and loved ones of another person who has been murdered on the street – only to come back to Parliament and avoid taking action.
The message needs to be plain and simple: if you pick up a knife, you will feel the full force of the law.
If you pick up a knife, you should feel the full force of the law
