'We finally feel heard': Murdered Ronan Kanda's mother addresses Labour conference with anti-knife message
Murdered schoolboy Ronan Kanda's mother believes this week was the most important yet in her anti-knife crime campaign.
After several false dawns and broken promises by previous Government ministers, Pooja Kanda believes she is closer than ever to seeing 'Ronan's Law' passed.
On the day the online sale of machetes and zombie knives was banned, Tuesday, Pooja spoke to the Labour conference in Liverpool as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stood by her side and declared Ronan's Law was a Government priority.
Ronan had not long taken his final exams when he was stabbed to death in Lanesfield in June 2022 by a machete-obsessed killer who had bought the ninja sword online and picked up from a post office, despite being a child.
Looking back on this week, Pooja said: "On the same day the machete and zombie knife ban was officially implemented on Tuesday I was invited to introduce Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on stage at Labour Party Conference 2024.
"Hearing Yvette say 'this Labour Government will pass Ronan’s Law, a ban on ninja swords' was wonderful. We are grateful to Yvette and the Labour Government.
"We finally feel heard. However, we are very aware that a ban on these deadly weapons is not enough to truly tackle knife crime. We will continue to work with the Government to ensure that as much change is implemented as possible."
She added: "From this date onwards, a ban on zombie-style knives and machetes came into place in the UK under new legislation that was initially introduced into parliament by the previous Government.
"Prior to the general election when this legislation was being developed, our calls for ninja swords to be included in the ban were repeatedly ignored by the previous Government, which is why today's ban does not include the deadly weapon used to murder our Ronan."
The Home Secretary thanked the Wolverhampton mother for her "courage" on the convention stage.
She said: "It is just two years since Ronan was killed, but Pooja has not stopped fighting for him since. Fighting for Ronan, fighting for other children, for other mums and dads because no parent should have to go through this unimaginable pain.
"So Pooja, we salute you, we support you and, now we are in government, we will back you in your fight to save young lives.
"Ronan's teenage killers ordered the ninja sword online. No checks, no questions asked, lethal weapons put straight in the hands of children.
"So this Labour Government will bring in new laws to crack down on dangerous online sales and the gangs who draw children in, alongside new youth hubs to steer young people away from violence - a teenage Sure Start to build hope in the future."
