'Help me save my son from knife crime': Idris Elba tells Starmer as PM launches new anti-knife crime coalition

9 September 2024, 14:00 | Updated: 9 September 2024, 14:17

Sir Keir Starmer has promised action to tackle the online sale of deadly weapons as he hosted a summit with knife crime campaigners including Hollywood star Idris Elba and victims' families.

The Prime Minister promised to "double down" on commitments made before the general election on tackling knife violence.

The Luther actor told the summit "talk is good, but action is important" and said he hoped the work done by a coalition of organisations and campaigners could prevent younger generations being involved in knife crime.

The summit - hosted at 10 Downing Street - brought togther community groups and victims' families who have first-hand experience that can be used to change policy and legislation on the matter.

The coalition, which will include his Elba Hope Foundation, aims to halve knife crime over the next 10 years.

Sir Keir said: "Far too many knives are too easily available, whether that's online, whether that's through the post."

There are examples of knives "bought online being posted through without any markings, and then people picking them up without any identification, and then those knives being used".

It is "just too shocking - that needs to be dealt with", he said.

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Sir Keir suggested ministers will look at the punishments for those caught with knives.

The Prime Minister told the knife crime summit in Downing Street: "We also need to deal with the sanctions for those that are found with knives."

But there is also a need to "try to reach into the lives of young people who may be going off the tracks and trying to bring them back before they do so".

Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was murdered in 2022 with a zombie knife bought online, told the No 10 summit she was "horrified, absolutely horrified" by what was available to her son's killer.

"It was as easy as picking up a loaf of bread from a supermarket," she said.

Calling for action, she said: "I'm not a policy expert in reducing crime. I'm a grieving mother.

"But I will do all I can to ensure that the failings that led to my son's murder are corrected."

She added: "It blows my mind at how easy it is to purchase these weapons and have them delivered to your door with absolutely no checks or accountability held."

Elba, who met Sir Keir during the election campaign to push for action on knife crime, said it was important there was a coalition of interests involved in the first summit, which is expected to become an annual event.

He said: "We needed joined-up thinking, we needed so many different perspectives: parents' perspectives, youth workers' perspectives, charity organisations, governance, policing.

"We need all of these perspectives to sit around the table when you think about this.

"We aren't going to end knife crime. We can't, that's not realistic.

"But we can tackle the attributes towards it. At the centre of it is obviously young people - my son's 10, and I'm hoping the work that we do annually, keep pushing, (can) help him by the time he's 16.

"There are kids right now that are 16 to 24, they're in that cycle right now that we might not be able to help, but with our joined-up thinking we can help future generations."

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood were at the Downing Street meeting and the new coalition to tackle knife crime will also include technology companies, sport organisations and representatives from the police and the NHS.