Sir Keir Starmer Vows to Cut Knife Crime as 'Moral Mission' ¹ ² ³

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to tackle knife crime, calling it a "moral mission" if his party wins the upcoming general election. He announced a five-step plan, which includes:

- Guaranteed sanctions for youths carrying knives

- A Young Futures program to support those most at risk

- Measures to get blades off the streets and review online sales

- A cross-government coalition involving politicians and community leaders

- A new offence of child criminal exploitation

Starmer aims to halve knife crime incidents within a decade and chair an annual summit to track progress. He emphasized that knife crime is an issue beyond party politics and requires collective action to keep young people safe.

The UK has seen a rise in knife crime offences, with 50,833 recorded in the year ending June 2023, and London being disproportionately affected. The Labour party promises to work with victims, families, online retailers, politicians, and community groups to drive down crimes.

Starmer's pledge comes amid concerns over the growing number of young people involved in knife crime, with some campaigning for tougher powers for police and reversing cuts to youth services. The Labour leader's vow to make tackling knife crime a "moral mission" reflects the urgency of the issue and the need for collective action.