Star Comment: The tragic irony of knife crime in the West Midlands
A 12 year-old boy loses his life to knife crime in the West Midlands as MPs debate this dangerous issue
It is the ultimate tragic irony that, as our MPs debated knife crime among young people on our streets, another murder was being committed.
Shockingly, the latest victim was just 12 and the boy arrested 14.
News has also come of another arrest, of a 15-year-old following an attack in Wolverhampton. Thankfully in this case the 15-year-old victim survived.
The good news is this – the issue of knife crime is now one that is openly being discussed by those who have the power to do something about it.
The difficulty is knowing how to turn around a culture in which young people feel it is necessary to arm themselves with a blade as a routine.
It used to be that disputes between young people were dealt with using fists. Now knives are produced and we have a long line of young lives lost.
The MPs’ debate, led by West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes, was designed to highlight a crisis that has also led the likes of Hollywood actor Idris Elba to speak out.
Then there are the courageous families, like the loved ones of Ronan Kanda, James Brindley and Ryan Passey, who have used their painful experience to campaign against knife crime.
Progress has been made. The Star joined a successful campaign to crackdown on the scandal of zombie knives and ninja swords being sold online with no checks.
Now Keir Starmer is pledging even more checks to ensure that teenagers under the age of 18 cannot access these weapons. His Downing Street spokesman has insisted “nothing is off the table” to protect children.
Unfortunately, despite these welcome steps, the killing continues and the victims are getting younger.
Somehow as a society we need to grasp this crisis. It cannot continue.
If the Prime Minister is pledging to look at all options available, then here are some suggestions – plough big investment into reinstating the youth clubs that have closed in recent years; reinstate outreach work that targets young people at risk in their own community; bring back community policing that is attached to schools.
This should be a national effort – a top priority of government. Stricter rules are welcome, but those in power are currently tinkering around the edges.
Somehow, we need to reverse the culture of violence among young people. That means a far deeper process, a fundamental look at Britain today and how we can persuade our young people to stop carrying knives.
