Lib Dem London Spokesperson hits out at Mayors past and present as he outlines new knife crime strategy

Speaking in Westminster Hall, Luke Taylor MP has hit out at “failure on the watch of consecutive mayors of both main parties” to deal with the issue, saying Londoners “have had enough of senseless stabbing after senseless stabbing.”

Taylor called for the Government to adopt a “public health approach”, similar to the one in place in Scotland, to get a grip on surging knife violence in the capital.

He called on the Government to adopt a raft of measures to enable the approach, including supporting the Met with new recruitment, ringfencing local authority Early Intervention services, putting victim awareness on the national curriculum and getting new funding to Violence Reduction Units (VRUs).

The approach, which is supported by crime experts, is characterised by joining up various public, private and third sector bodies to ensure that violence is prevented with early interventions. It sees teachers, care workers, nurses and other groups brought into partnership with the police.

Luke Taylor MP said: 

“The truth at the heart of this crisis is that people carry knives because they fear being a victim themselves. 

“And the only way to combat that climate of fear is with a public health approach that actually gets results.

“… as I reminded this House earlier this month, and do so again now, success in this area is measured in something more important than profit or efficiency.

“It is measured in lives saved, lives nourished, and lives reinvigorated.”