Labour's Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, has expressed strong support for exploring actor Idris Elba's proposal to introduce rounded-tip kitchen knives as part of the government's strategy to tackle Britain's knife crime epidemic.
Government Backs Innovative Knife Design
In an exclusive interview, Ms Jones described the idea of removing sharp points from kitchen knives as an 'interesting idea' with emerging evidence suggesting it could significantly reduce injury severity. The minister revealed she's 'keen to talk to manufacturers' about implementing this as one of many measures against violent crime.
Campaigner Idris Elba originally suggested the measure in January, arguing that people can prepare food perfectly well without pointed knife tips. The Luther star has been vocal in calling for rounded kitchen knives to become commonplace, a proposal that has now gained ministerial backing.
Knife Arches in Schools: A 'Useful Tool'
The minister also addressed the controversial topic of knife arches in educational settings, describing them as a 'really useful tool' while emphasising that the decision to implement them rests with individual headteachers. Ms Jones explained that when used alongside plain clothes policing, the arches can help identify individuals avoiding detection, providing valuable behavioural clues to officers.
This comes after Caroline and Jason Willgoose, parents of 15-year-old murder victim Harvey Willgoose, made emotional appeals for knife arches to be installed in all secondary schools and colleges. Harvey was stabbed to death by Mohammed Umar Khan, who brought a hunting knife to their Sheffield school in February.
Encouraging Crime Statistics Amid Ongoing Challenges
New data released last week shows promising developments in the fight against knife crime. The figures reveal a 5% reduction in knife offences in the year to June, with cases falling from 54,215 to 51,527. More significantly, knife homicides dropped by 18% during the same period.
Ms Jones described these figures as 'really encouraging' and evidence that the government is 'moving in the right direction' towards its pledge to halve knife crime within a decade. However, she acknowledged there's 'a very long way to go', stating that every stabbing remains 'one too many'.
The minister attributed the progress to several key strategies including hotspot policing, increased police presence on streets, and tougher laws on knife sales. She also highlighted cross-departmental work to rebuild youth services 'decimated under the Tories', incorporating youth workers in A&E departments and improving mental health support for young people.
Despite the positive trend, Ms Jones stressed the government's determination to continue cracking down on knife crime, recognising that much work remains to be done to make communities safer and prevent further tragedies like that which claimed Harvey Willgoose's life.
