Knife crime

Knife crime has reached crisis levels on London’s streets – fuelled by cuts to police and youth services and growing poverty under the Conservatives. Steve has repeatedly demanded urgent action, telling the Prime Minister in the House of Commons to stop the terrifying increase in the use of knives on our streets. Already 84 young people have been killed on London’s streets this year.

Steve led the way pioneering the ‘public health’ approach to tackling youth crime– an approach that tackles the root causes of knife crime. It involves investing in more youth activities, better mental health services, reducing school exclusions, helping struggling families, targeting domestic abuse, and giving a real voice to young people from the most deprived communities. Steve’s approach, first piloted in Lambeth and other London boroughs, is now being introduced in Croydon.

Steve said:

I’ve met too many parents in Croydon North who’ve had to bury their children. We can’t take any more of this. We know what works, but instead the Conservatives have cut the police, cut our schools, cut youth services and cut social workers. I’m working with community groups in Croydon North to provide what support we can, but the only real answer is a Labour government that will end austerity and tackle the inequality that caused these problems in the first place.