Knife crime

Baroness Laing of Elderslie Excerpts

Thursday 14th December 2023 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis]

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady for making that clarification, but her point was important none the less.

Often, we talk of the perpetrators of knife crime—it is right that we do—but we should never forget that it is too often young people who are the victims. As Members of this House, we owe it to the victims and their loved ones to come up with solutions to this epidemic, and to ensure that no child or parent faces the tragic consequences of knife crime on our streets. In that spirit, there have been a number of considered and thoughtful contributions to the debate. My hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Florence Eshalomi) spoke movingly about the trauma that knife crime causes her constituents and about the pain experienced by the victim’s family. The hon. Member for Aylesbury (Rob Butler) effectively brought to bear his long experience of the criminal justice system. He made an important point about tackling the causes to avoid repetition.

I will take this opportunity to tell the tragic story of Ronan Kanda, and his family’s campaign for justice. I know that the shadow policing Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon Central (Sarah Jones), met the family alongside their local MP, my right hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden), to learn about Ronan’s story. Ronan, a beloved son and brother, was just 16 years old when he was killed while walking home in Wolverhampton. Just a few yards from his front door, Ronan was attacked from behind by two 16-year-olds carrying a machete and a ninja sword. Ronan was stabbed twice and suffered wounds to his back and chest. Tragically, he died at the scene. It was later revealed that the perpetrators of this heinous act had mistaken Ronan for someone else—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

Order. I hesitate to interrupt the hon. Gentleman because this is a very sensitive and very sad matter, but I want to be certain that we are observing the sub judice rules. I am sure that he is well aware of what he can and cannot say, but I just want to be certain that nothing he says will prejudice anything that might come before the courts.

[Dan Jarvis]

I am very grateful, Madam Deputy Speaker. I can give that assurance. I have been incredibly careful about describing the circumstances of the case, as I will be able to confirm in just a moment. Thank you.

The weapons used in the attack had been bought online by the perpetrators, who were just 16 years old themselves, using another person’s ID. They collected the items from a local post office on the day of the attack. In July of this year, they were sentenced to 16 years and 18 years in prison respectively for their crime.

Understandably, Ronan’s family have been completely devastated by his tragic loss. Courageously, they now campaign for ninja swords—the type of knife used in Ronan’s murder—to be taken off the streets once and for all, so that no other family should suffer the loss that they have suffered. The Government are right to want to give police more powers to seize and destroy such weapons, and they will have our support. However, we do not believe that the current ban goes far enough, as it still does not include the type of sword that killed Ronan. Will the Minister explain the Government’s reasoning for that, or, better still, will he confirm that the Government’s position is that such swords should be covered under forthcoming legislation?

During these debates, we must never forget the human cost of knife crime for victims and their families, as in Ronan’s case. Many families struggle to comprehend the senseless murder of their loved one. The strength of Ronan’s family in saying, “Never again should anyone suffer our pain,” should inspire us all in this House to act accordingly. That is needed now more than ever because, sadly, more young lives are being lost.

Last year saw the highest number of people killed with a knife for over 70 years. The biggest increase was among young boys aged 16 to 17. Knife crime rates remain stubbornly high. Compared with 2015, total knife crime is up 70%, including record levels of knife-enabled rape and threats to kill. Last year, 75% of teenage homicides involved a knife or sharp instrument. As a consequence, it is now thought that more than 200,000 children are vulnerable to serious violence. Between 2021 and 2022, a record number of children were victims of crime. We need decisive action now.

As I am sure the Minister would agree, the first duty of any Government is to keep their people safe. On these fundamental questions, the Government need to show leadership in turning the tide on this knife crime epidemic. Labour has, for our part, set a route forward. Our community policing guarantee will put police back into town centres and neighbourhoods to make streets safe again, with increased patrols and 13,000 more neighbourhood police and police community support officers. Too often in recent years, criminals have gone unpunished while victims have suffered the consequences. This cannot continue. Labour will put an end to that scandal.

Allied to those plans, the shadow Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), set out our proposals for a new national programme, working across Departments, to give Britain’s young people the best start in life. The “Young Futures” programme would act as a Sure Start for young people. It will also include a specific strand of activity targeted at young people most at risk of being drawn into violent crime, and will deliver help for young people who are struggling with their mental health. That will support our aim of halving serious violence, including knife crime and youth violence, within a decade—tackling crime and tackling the causes of crime. Tackling the scourge of knife crime will require a cross-Government approach, new youth hubs, and proper local plans to identify those who are most at risk and help them access the support they need. It also means Government Departments, schools and local services working together so that services operate around young people and their families, rather than in separate silos. It means getting the basics right, with more police officers on the street and working in our communities to bring criminals to justice. This is a serious issue, and it requires a serious response. Those on the Opposition Benches stand ready to meet the challenge.

--- Later in debate ---

[Wendy Morton]

I simply want to thank the Members who have contributed to this debate after a very busy week. It demonstrates how, on topics such as this, the House comes together. We will continue to ask questions and to challenge the Government, but I think we all accept that this is a very complex problem. To tackle a problem, we need to really understand it. I feel assured that we will all continue to work together, because we know how important this problem is.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this House has considered the matter of knife crime.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

What an extremely good debate.

[Richard Foord (Tiverton and Honiton) (LD)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Earlier, at business questions, the hon. Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset (Mr Liddell-Grainger) made a factually inaccurate and outlandish claim, which he may wish to come to the House to correct. I should say that I have notified him.

Can you inform me, Madam Deputy Speaker, whether making this accusation is appropriate? I will explain further. The hon. Member alleged that the chair of the Mid Devon District Council scrutiny committee, whom he named directly, was hosting a Christmas party funded by local government funds. That simply is not true. The party that the chair of the scrutiny committee, Councillor Rachel Gilmour, will be throwing on Sunday—it is open to anyone who wishes to join—will be funded by private funds. She will be paying for it herself. I wonder whether it would be appropriate to invite the hon. Member to correct the record.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I thank hon. Gentleman for his point of order. As ever, it is not for the Chair to adjudicate on the veracity of anything that anyone says in this House. Those are often matters of opinion. It would appear that the matter to which the hon. Gentleman refers is not a matter of opinion but a matter of fact. Of course, I do not know the facts. The hon. Gentleman clearly wishes to draw attention to his disagreement with the hon. Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset (Mr Liddell-Grainger) over the facts in question—I am pleased to hear that he notified that hon. Member of his intention to raise the point of order—and I can only say that he has done so, but it is not a matter for the Chair.