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| Brown to defend knife crime plans | Brown to defend knife crime plans |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown is expected to defend the government's plans for tackling knife crime, which have been derided as "half-baked" by the Liberal Democrats. | Gordon Brown is expected to defend the government's plans for tackling knife crime, which have been derided as "half-baked" by the Liberal Democrats. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has already announced plans to use shock tactics against young offenders caught in possession of a knife. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has already announced plans to use shock tactics against young offenders caught in possession of a knife. |
| She rejected Tory calls for anyone caught carrying a knife to go to jail. Meanwhile a senior police officer, Alf Hitchcock, has called for non-military national service for teenagers. | She rejected Tory calls for anyone caught carrying a knife to go to jail. Meanwhile a senior police officer, Alf Hitchcock, has called for non-military national service for teenagers. |
| He also said knife crime victims and offenders were getting younger. | He also said knife crime victims and offenders were getting younger. |
| Youth crime plan | Youth crime plan |
| The issue is expected to dominate the Prime Minister's Downing Street news conference on Monday. | The issue is expected to dominate the Prime Minister's Downing Street news conference on Monday. |
| The home secretary's proposals for England and Wales will be outlined in more detail when the government publishes its youth crime plan on Tuesday. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYThe shock of a mandatory 5 year prison sentence with no parole should be enough to shock most knife carriers back to sanity.John Smith, England class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5103&edition=1&ttl=20080714050309">Send us your comments | |
| Ms Smith's proposals will see young people caught carrying knives being made to go to accident and emergency wards, to see the consequences of stabbings. | Ms Smith's proposals will see young people caught carrying knives being made to go to accident and emergency wards, to see the consequences of stabbings. |
| They will meet victims' families and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences. | They will meet victims' families and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences. |
| She said: "I am very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. | She said: "I am very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. |
| "In my book it is tougher than simply saying there is one, simple solution and that is everyone goes to prison." | "In my book it is tougher than simply saying there is one, simple solution and that is everyone goes to prison." |
| This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together Alf Hitchcock, Deputy Assistant Commissioner | This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together Alf Hitchcock, Deputy Assistant Commissioner |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne described Ms Smith's plans as "half-baked", and said the government had been in denial about the scale of the knife crime problem. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne described Ms Smith's plans as "half-baked", and said the government had been in denial about the scale of the knife crime problem. |
| The government's measures, overseen by Mr Hitchcock who is Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Scotland Yard, will focus on a number of areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. | The government's measures, overseen by Mr Hitchcock who is Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Scotland Yard, will focus on a number of areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. |
| Mr Hitchcock told the Daily Mail a non-military version of national service could include helping vulnerable people and volunteering overseas. | Mr Hitchcock told the Daily Mail a non-military version of national service could include helping vulnerable people and volunteering overseas. |
| He said most young people were not "beyond the pale" but had been "let down" and it was now time to give them the "hope they deserve". | He said most young people were not "beyond the pale" but had been "let down" and it was now time to give them the "hope they deserve". |
| Mr Hitchcock added:"It would give them a sense of responsibility and achievement - and some discipline. | Mr Hitchcock added:"It would give them a sense of responsibility and achievement - and some discipline. |
| "It should not be seen as a punishment, or a pressurised duty like conscription, but as an opportunity to go forward into a successful adulthood." | "It should not be seen as a punishment, or a pressurised duty like conscription, but as an opportunity to go forward into a successful adulthood." |
| Combining ideas | Combining ideas |
| Mr Hitchcock said there was a need for a comprehensive plan which gave support and parenting skills to young children and their parents. | Mr Hitchcock said there was a need for a comprehensive plan which gave support and parenting skills to young children and their parents. |
| Yusufu Miiro, one of five people stabbed to death in 24 hours last Thursday | Yusufu Miiro, one of five people stabbed to death in 24 hours last Thursday |
| "This kind of plan is not cheap and easy. Changes in government often mean changes in plans, so it needs cross-party support for a programme which may take 15 to 20 years to achieve its full effect." | "This kind of plan is not cheap and easy. Changes in government often mean changes in plans, so it needs cross-party support for a programme which may take 15 to 20 years to achieve its full effect." |
| In an interview with the Times, Mr Hitchcock said he was concerned that the issue of knife crime was "being used politically". | In an interview with the Times, Mr Hitchcock said he was concerned that the issue of knife crime was "being used politically". |
| He said: "This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together. | He said: "This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together. |
| "I'm sure there are good ideas in government and good ideas in the opposition, and drawing these ideas together would be better than fighting over the issue. | "I'm sure there are good ideas in government and good ideas in the opposition, and drawing these ideas together would be better than fighting over the issue. |
| "We all know that policing alone isn't going to solve this." | "We all know that policing alone isn't going to solve this." |