Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to announce large new legislation change TODAY in main crackdown

Yvette Cooper has voiced her outrage that it is often harder for children to order cigarettes and scratchcards online than knives.

The Home Secretary today announces a string of measures to save lives after a bombshell report highlighted horrific gaps in the law. Ms Cooper told The Mirror : “We have this crazy situation where there’s often more checks for alcohol or for cigarettes or all these different things, and yet these are lethal weapons.

“And so that’s why we have to change the law.” For the first time a new police unit will target deadly weapons being sold on social media, while the Government is looking at compulsory licencing with tougher prison sentences for those profiting from misery.

It comes as the family of nine-year-old Southport victim Alice da Silva Aguiar spoke movingly about her heartbreaking loss. Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was stabbed using a sword his killers had bought online, said her son would still be alive if the new laws were in place.

Under the new laws, which will be put before MPs next week, online retailers will have a duty to report suspicious bulk purchases they suspect could lead to weapons being resold. Those who fail to do so face fines of up to £10,000.

An alarming report by Commander Stephen Clayman, the national police lead on knife crime, found laws around online knife sales are less stringent than for alcohol, tobacco, fireworks or even scratchcards. He warned that a “grey market” for deadly weapons on sites like Snapchat and Telegram has grown.

His report, to be published today, highlights one – named Weapons R Us – which sold blades at ramped-up prices through social media. Mr Clayman’s report will call for a string of measures designed to save lives.

The Home Office has announced jail terms for those selling knives to under-18s will be ramped up from six months to two years. These can be applied to workers who process illegal sales as well as the chief executives of a company.

There will also be a new criminal offence of possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence – carrying a jail term of up to four years in prison. The Home Office says it will explore setting up a registration system for businesses that sell knives online to ensure that only responsible sellers can do so.

Ms Cooper said the horrendous murder of 16-year-old Ronan had highlighted the need for new laws. One of Ronan’s murderers had purchased the 20-inch blade online using his mum’s ID, and collected it without being challenged.

Ronan was stabbed as he walked home in a tragic case of mistaken identity. Since the fatal attack in Wolverhampton in 2022, Ronan’s mum Pooja has campaigned tirelessly for tighter restrictions.

“All of the checks that should have happened didn’t,” said Ms Cooper, who met Ronan’s family at his school in Wolverhampton. That’s why we have to crack down.

“That’s why we have to close these lethal loopholes.” And she continued: “This is not just one awful case where some things have gone wrong.

“This is happening multiple times across the country. It is far too easy for people to be able to get knives.”

Ms Cooper said that speaking to families who had lost loved ones to knife crimes has spurred her to tighten the law. She said: “I think as a parent, there’s nothing that is harder to bear than the idea of losing a child.

“And when you see parents who have lost a child and who are still campaigning, and the courage that they show, I can’t imagine how they’re able to do that. And they are really powerful voices when they talk about all of the things that went wrong and all of the things that maybe could have been different, that maybe could have saved their child’s life.”

Mr Clayman’s review, commissioned by the Home Secretary last year, found shocking failings over online knife sales. He said: “All too often in policing, we are dealing with the horrific consequences of knife crime and seeing how it devastates individuals and families.

“The evidence in the end-to-end review clearly demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to purchase a knife online, often avoiding any age verification at all, or where it is in place, exploiting vulnerabilities, especially with delivery.”

He said the changes would “significantly enhance” efforts to tackle the crisis. Under his proposals, businesses will be breaking the law for selling knives without a licence.

Ministers believe a strong new licensing regime will be a powerful new tool to make sure age checks are being properly carried out. And the changes will tackle an anomaly where there are tougher sentences for illegal possession of a knife than the illegal supply of a knife.

This is the opposite of the way drug laws are enforced. The new laws have been welcomed by anti-knife crime campaigners. Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said he was “pleased” the Government is listening. He said: “These new laws, particularly the focus on reporting suspicious purchases and stronger age verification, will compel retailers to take responsibility for their actions.

“It has been our stated position that a licencing system for retailers is only way to ensure that specialised knives are only sold to those with legitimate and lawful need.

“A licensing system will ensure that only reputable retailers who comply with the law and prioritise public safety will be able to sell knives”.