The Tories have had 14 years to get a grip on knife crime – and yet the thugs responsible for it still escape being jailed.
Despite a Tory manifesto pledge that carrying knives means prison, figures show one criminal racked up nine offences without being locked up. And 14 others dodged jail despite being found guilty at least four times. Our revelations come as a Southwark Cathedral memorial service honoured Damilola Taylor’s father, Richard – who devoted 24 years of his life to campaigning against knife crime after his 10-year-old son was killed in 2000.
Last year police recorded 50,500 offences involving sharp instruments, a 40% rise since the Tories came to power. Nearly 4,000 victims were hospitalised, and 244 of them died. Those figures are unacceptable. Knives must be taken off our streets along with the murderous hooligans who carry them. That means sending serious and repeat offenders to jail. No ifs or buts. And more use of tagging and curfews.
It means tougher criminal sanctions for unscrupulous dealers selling lethal weapons and for gang leaders enticing young people to carry them. It means more neighbourhood police patrols in areas where knife crime is rife. Home Secretary James Cleverly attended Mr Taylor’s memorial service yesterday, yet he has no action plan to tackle this scourge. Next Home Secretary Yvette Cooper does. We need a General Election so she can act.
True Majesty
The Tories may not care about the welfare of our nurses but at least the Royal Family does. Queen Camilla was at the Royal London Hospital to mark International Nurses Day, showing real interest in their lifesaving work. And last week the King followed in his mother’s footsteps by becoming patron of the Royal College of Nursing. That came after a review of his workload – so it shows what he recognises is most important.
The Conservatives do not give nurses the same priority, handing them the lowest pay award in the public sector last year. As a result, 35,000 posts are unfilled. Six in 10 nurses work unpaid extra hours, and fewer than one in three think staffing levels allow them to do their jobs properly. That’s why hospital waiting lists remain stubbornly high and public satisfaction with the NHS depressingly low. And until we get a government which treats nursing with the same respect as our King and Queen, nothing will change.
Aurora-some
Britain enjoyed a fabulous light show thanks to the Sun burping out its solar winds. No need to head to Iceland or Scandinavia when the Northern Lights come our way. Lapland will now have to rely solely on Father Christmas for its tourist trade.