ROAD RAGE
Sajid Javid’s claims he grew up on Britain’s ‘most dangerous road’ branded ‘bull***t’ by locals in Bristol
The Home Secretary made the comments during a speech on knife crime
SAJID Javid’s claims he grew up on “the most dangerous street in Britain” has been dismissed as “bulls**t” by locals in Bristol.
During a speech to youth workers on knife crime the Home Secretary claimed: “I grew up on what was dubbed by one tabloid as ‘the most dangerous street in Britain’.”
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But residents of Stapleton Road in the north of the city have rubbished those claims saying his views of his childhood upbringing are distorted.
In his speech the Conservative MP added: “It's not so difficult to see how instead of being in Cabinet, I could have been taken in to a life of crime.
“There were the pupils at school that shoplifted, and asked if I wanted to help. The drug dealers who stood near the school gates and told you by joining in you could make easy money.
“But I was lucky: I had loving and supporting parents who despite their own circumstances, gave me the security that I needed.
“I had some brilliant teachers who motivated me and took me much further than I think even they expected.”
Abdul Malik, a magistrate, mosque chairperson, school governor and butcher told : “There's no justification for him to refer to Stapleton Road as the most dangerous in Britain.
“He needs to wake up to the things that have taken this area forward.”
Mr Malik added that he knew Javid’s father and said the Home Secretary was never involved in the Stapleton Road community.
'IRRESPONSIBLE'
Florist Clare Mobley, who has worked on the street for more than 20 years, said: “It’s such a load of bulls**t.”
She said her children had grown up on the road and never had a problem.
Others said they had gone to the same school as Javid but never knew of any drug dealers hanging around at the school gate.
Mr Javid was originally born in Greater Manchester and his father worked as a bus driver before the family moved to Stapleton Road and lived in a two-bed flat above the clothes shop his dad ran.
Rayan Wilson, who runs the sports company Back2Action, said the comments by Mr Javid were “irresponsible” and “out of order”.
He said the various cultures found along the road had come together to form a community.
The road picked up its unwanted reputation when the then Home Secretary David Blunkett named it as one of five crime hot spots in the UK.
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In 2011 The Sunday People described the street as “a lawless hellhole where murder, rape, shootings, drug-pushing, prostitution, knifings and violent robbery are commonplace.”
Community leader Mohammed ElsharifIt told : “It is insulting to still hear Stapleton Road being described as the most dangerous place when I just don’t think that’s the case anymore.”
He added: “It is a vibrant area in the city made up of a mix of different nationalities, races and religions all living and working together.”
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