Home Secretary Sajid Javid calls for knife crime to ‘be treated like a DISEASE’ as more should be done to tackle violence
SAJID Javid will today warn the “mindset of government needs to shift” to tackle the “national emergency” of youth violence.
The Home Secretary will call for knife crime menace gripping Britain to be treated like an “outbreak of some virulent disease”.
And he will urge the vast array of government departments to do more to work together to “ensure there is no let up until the violence is eradicated”.
He will make the warning as he gives his first major speech on crime to an audience of 100 police and charity bosses in London today.
His words will be taken as a thinly veiled leadership pitch, as he tries to woo the Tory grassroots by showing them he is the man to crack down on crime.
Britain is in the grip of a knife crime epidemic, with 135 fatal stabbings in London last year – a 10-year high.
Changing the lives of young people will not be an easy task. Crime has a way of drawing in those who feel worthless
Sajid Javid
A YouGov poll out last week revealed crime has soared to become the second biggest concern of voters – ahead of health only behind Brexit.
Mr Javid will say Britain needs to take a public health approach to tackling the violent crime wave, with teachers and nurses as well as the police playing a part in tackling it.
He will say: “Just as we can design products to prevent crime, we can also design policy to shape the lives of young people to prevent criminality.
“Changing the lives of young people will not be an easy task. Crime has a way of drawing in those who feel worthless.
most read in politics
“But when you belong to something greater than yourself, when you have something to lose, it’s not as easy to throw your life away.
“No future should be pre-determined by where you’re born, or how you’re brought up. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind.”
It comes after Mr Javid broke with Theresa May to extend stop and search powers to tackle the menace of knife crime.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]