Express & Star comment: Violence must be dealt with
As the Brexit debate starts to near crunch time, the Government would be wise to remember one crucial thing.
While it goes without saying that the UK’s departure from the EU is of vital importance, there are other key issues facing the country at this moment in time.
And with that in mind, our politicians must realise that sufficient time in the House of Commons must be allocated for issues other than Brexit.
Yesterday a decisive debate and vote on new legislation aimed at clamping down on knife crime was postponed at the last minute.
This, we were told, was so Theresa May could make a statement about the progress – or lack thereof – in her discussions with Brussels.
Cynics say the weapons debate was put on the backburner because the Government feared defeat on a firearms amendment.
But the fact of the matter is that legislation which could save lives has now been kicked into the long grass.
Last week fears were expressed that Parliament would effectively grind to a halt and become little more than a Brexit debating chamber over the coming months.
This simply cannot be allowed to happen.
There have been more than a dozen people stabbed to death in the West Midlands this year, including two in the past few days in the Black Country.
Knife crime – and violent crime at a whole – has reached epidemic proportions this year. It is a national problem that is getting worse.
Theresa May and Sajid Javid have both pledged strong action to tackle this deadly cycle of violence. Their words need to be matched with action.
The delay of this legislation does not give out the right message to communities across the country that are struggling to cope with high levels of violence.
People are dying in our streets. The public is desperate for reassurances that the Government is prepared to take the measures necessary to stop the violence.
Everyone can appreciate the significance of Brexit, but it is by no means the only matter that people in this country are concerned about.
Our politicians should ask themselves one question: Is there any issue that is more important than saving lives?
