Cherie reveals her knife-crime fears

Published on Tuesday 1 July 2008 22:05

CHERIE Blair said yesterday she feared for her children when they went out in the street and warned that knife and gun crime among teenagers could be more common than official figures suggested.

The QC, the wife of former prime minister Tony Blair, claimed that evidence showed crime statistics did not reflect the true extent to which under-16s were carrying weapons.

Her comments, before the Commons home affairs select committee, are based on her participation in a recent investigation into young people using knives and guns, and follow a string of high-profile teenage deaths at the hands of fellow youngsters.

Appearing as Ms Booth before the committee, she told MPs that the death of teenager Ben Kinsella – brother of former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella – in London on Sunday further highlighted the problem of knife violence.

Later family and friends of the 16-year-old marched past the spot where he was killed to demand an end to knife crime.

Many among the hundreds of demonstrators sported white T-shirts with slogans such as "RIP Ben", "You're an Angel", "Stop Knife Violence" and "You're Always in Our Hearts."

Yesterday four more youths in their late teens were arrested and questioned over the murder. Two teenagers have already been bailed pending enquiries.

Mrs Blair stopped short of backing calls by ministers for tougher court action against offenders, insisting that police should retain the right to issue cautions for those caught with blades.

The mother of four, in her capacity as chairwoman of the Street Weapons Commission, said: "As a parent I am concerned about knife crime and what happens when my children go on the streets. I am not alone in that."

Mrs Blair added that there was "no magic-wand solution" to knife crime – which appeared to be increasing and could be even more common than statistics suggest.

She added: "I think the evidence that we heard from people on the street and indeed the figures we were getting from hospitals, is that there are more people presenting with injuries caused in this way.

"Because this is almost a new phenomenon – that younger children are carrying knives and, sadly, using them – the statistics are not looking at the right areas."

She said that answers to the problem must include better provision of role models, improved community work and a more active approach by police, including more high-visibility policing targeting places where officers know youths often carry weapons.

On policing, Mrs Blair told MPs: "I think the idea of taking the glamour out of the crime, and making highly visible policing in the way we have seen in Hackney and harrying the criminals is a good approach.

"We have got to get this message across that carrying a knife is no protection at all.

"If young people think they can carry knives and no-one's ever going to pick them up carrying a knife then they are more likely to take one out," she told the committee.

"Whereas if they think when they carry a knife that's it's going to be detected, that may well make a really big difference."