Starmer pledges to cut knife crime and ban online sale of lethal knives

ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen was at the event where Starmer met with bereaved families to talk about the new promises.

Labour have promised to cut knife crime and ban the online sale and possession of dangerous knives, if they win the election.

Sir Keir Starmer said Tuesday that he will introduce Ronan's Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was murdered with a ninja sword bought online in 2022.

The Labour leader met with bereaved families whose children lost their lives to knife crime, telling them "we can't keep on meeting families and having the same version of the conversation, we've got the change the system."

Knife crime campaigner and actor Idris Elba also joined Starmer, saying he was there "as a concerned parent, concerned citizen."

In June 2023, Kanda was murdered in Wolverhampton with a sword bought online using a different name, which the killer was able to pick up without being asked for ID.

Labour say the new law would include a comprehensive ban on the possession of a wider range of dangerous weapons which have been used to kill teenagers on Britain's streets.

They'll also introduce a review of online knife sales, with tougher enforcement of ID checks.

Starmer told families he wanted them to hold him accountable, adding: "if we get this over the line, you have a right to get hold of me, and I'll make myself available, after the election."

The Labour leader said: “Ronan Kanda’s family have suffered the most unimaginable loss. Their campaign to make sure no family endures the same is remarkable. “If you are a family suffering from the indescribable grief of losing a child due to knife crime, you’re not going to care whether it’s a Labour or Conservative politician who takes action on the issue. What you do want is a sense of resolve from political leaders that they take this issue seriously and want to do what they can to reduce knife crime."

Ronan Kanda's mum says "this is the right step ahead"

Pooja Kanda, Ronan's mother, told ITV News she welcomed the Labour party's commitment to Ronan's Law, saying "this is the right step ahead, definitely."

"We need to block all the avenues, we can’t leave the avenues open for the perpetrators to carry on doing what they’re doing", she said.

Ronan's cousin Tanisha Dadar said: ‘The fact that you can buy a bladed article that has no other purpose than to cause harm, threaten, or kill, over your computer and it will arrive at your doorstep, no questions asked. That is diabolical.”

At the roundtable with families, Idris Elba said the issue was "non-political" for him but that Starmer has "a long term plan."

"Whatever happens with politics this doesn’t stop - we’re going to keep going. We still think we have to hold the government accountable", he said.

Idris Elba talks about his campaigning to tackle knife crime

Starmer also committed to setting up a new coalition aimed at tackling knife crime, and halving knife crime incidents within a decade.

He wants ministers, victims and tech giants to work together to tackle the sale of weapons online and cut crime on the streets.

"I know many Tory MPs who do care about this, who would want to work on a cross party basis", Starmer told families during the roundtable.

Crimes involving knives or sharp instruments in England and Wales stood at 49,489 in 2023, up 7% from 46,153 in 2022, but 3% lower than the pre-pandemic total of 51,206 offences in the year ending March 2020.

The number of offences involving possession of an article with a blade or point rose slightly in 2023 to 27,672, up 1% from 27,463 in 2022.

Ronan's mum Pooja has previously criticised the government's plans to tackle knife crime for having too many loopholes - particularly on not including swords.

Policing minister Chris Philp said: “When Keir Starmer was in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service convictions for weapon possession fell, and knife crime has risen by 20% in Labour-run London.”

He said the Tories had a plan to recruit 8,000 more police officers, adding:” The choice at the election is clear: cracking down on crime with Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives, or back to square one with Keir Starmer and the same old Labour who consistently fail to tackle crime.”

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every day in the run-up to the election Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…