1 week Ago By [email protected] (Sophie Huskisson)
Actor Idris Elba has said he wants to save young people from knife crime, including his ten-year-old son, as he met families whose lives have been torn apart by it. The Hollywood star joined a Downing Street summit with other campaigners, police and ministers on ending violence plaguing Britain’s streets. The Prime Minister has vowed to halve knife crime within the decade, with new legislation promised to ban ninja swords and tougher restrictions on online sales of knives.
Idris told the summit: "Talk is good, but action is important." He went on: "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 16-24, 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.
" Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was murdered in 2022 with a ninja sword 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.
" Mr Starmer said said he wants to make it harder to buy dangerous weapons online as he pledged to "double down" on efforts to tackle knife crime. "Far too many knives are too easily available, whether that's online, whether that's through the post," he said. The PM said 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".
He described it as "just too shocking" and said it "needs to be dealt with". Be the first with news from Mirror Politics WHATSAPP GROUP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here . NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox.
PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell , hosted by Mirror deputy political editor Lizzy Buchan and Express political editor Sam Lister, every Thursday. Mr Starmer told the summit: "Before the election, I made commitments to people around this table and others in relation to a determination to deal with knife crime. And it is a determination.
" He added: "Now I want to double down on that commitment. It wasn't a commitment said before the election that's then forgotten the other side of the election - I think many people are far too familiar with that kind of politics.".
