Our Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, hosted the first roundtable discussion of his government in September with some of the families that have lost their children to knife crime. I was encouraged to receive his invitation, which demonstrated the support he personally promised he would give me in pushing knife crime higher up the agenda. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to prior travel arrangements. They were also joined by some victims of knife crime who survived their attacks, which made the discussion more impactful. Some of the plans which the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have made to reduce the violence were shared, and the group was invited to offer any suggestions they had that would help.
The ban on Zombie knives has now become law, hopefully resulting in millions of these knives being taken off the market. These knives have been the most frequently used for decades; some wholesalers have admitted to high sales of this type of knife. The ban will have a positive impact as they will no longer be legally accessible. Anyone selling a zombie knife or being in possession of one will now face a criminal charge.
Our campaign has united a number of individuals from various backgrounds, sectors, schools and community groups. One of the exciting things about the campaign are the growing numbers of young people who are joining their voices with ours and spreading the word that by working together, things can get better. The campaign is a breath of fresh air, full of hope, resilience and determined action. It is very easy to join, just get in touch via our website. There is plenty to do for anyone who wants to be involved. The Make It Stop campaign combats the myth that knife crime has to become the norm, it does not. Our movement is working daily to make knife crime a thing of the past. The support of the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and British actor Idris Elba, who is following our campaign, demonstrates a level of unity and commitment that has not existed before. We are actively spreading the news of our campaign and the resources available through the various groups that have joined us. Please also make an effort to join us at our second meeting on the 8th October 2024 at the Brixton Recreation Centre.
We will not sit silently but will keep pushing forward. Sadly there will be more fatalities because of the enormous problem at hand but our promise is this: Things will get better. Together, we will make it stop.
-Lorraine
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