GLASGOW can act as an example in how to reduce the murder rate in London, the UK capital’s MPs have insisted as the murder rate there has already exceeded 50 so far this year.
Thursday lunchtime a man, believed to be in his 20s, became the latest stabbing victim after being injured in Walthamstow. He was rushed to hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
This incident followed a more tragic one on Wednesday night when another man, Israel Ogunsola, also in his 20s, was stabbed in Hackney. Despite receiving first aid he died at the scene around half an hour later. Two teenagers have subsequently been arrested in connection with the crime.
READ MORE: Crowds call for an end to spate of deaths in London
This week has also seen two fatal shootings in London on Monday of a 16 and a 17-year-old and a fatal stabbing of a suspected burglar on Wednesday.
David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, said the culture of violent crime was now endemic in parts of London.
“Frankly, I am sick of the political football; what I want is a political consensus,” he declared.
“The city of Glasgow had a problem 10 years ago; it was the murder capital of this country. Last year, not one death as a result of a stabbing because there was a political consensus between the Labour Party and the SNP.
“The Scotland example: they had a public health strategy; all agencies came together; all resources. The community itself was sick of it. People were stepping up, so it can be done,” he insisted.
READ MORE: Crowds call for an end to spate of deaths in London
The Glasgow example was also highlighted by Mr Lammy’s Labour colleague Diane Abbott, who represents Hackney North.
The Shadow Home Secretary blamed the wave of bloodshed on London's streets on cuts to policing and youth and social services.
"Here in Hackney we've lost one in 10 of our police officers since 2010 but there also needs to be more work done in youth work, in schools, even in mental health."
Ms Abbott cited the example of Glasgow, which has dramatically cut its murder rate by taking a co-ordinated public health approach to knife crime through education, youth work and social services.
"They have brought the number of deaths from knife crime down to zero last year," she pointed out.
In 2007, Glasgow's homicide rate was around 4.5 per 100,000 people, by 2012 it had dropped to 2.7 and in 2017 was down to below 2.0.
Mr Lammy described the violence on the streets of London as the "worst I've ever seen it".
The former minister admitted there was "absolutely no sign" of any reduction in the violence as he raised concerns about drugs driving turf wars between gangs.
Pointing to an £11 billion cocaine market in London, he said drugs were now as "prolific as ordering a pizza".
READ MORE: Crowds call for an end to spate of deaths in London
He claimed the police had lost control of the drugs market and that children as young as 12 were being recruited by gangs to run drugs as far north as Scotland.
“I sat at Highbury Magistrates Court a few months ago behind a young man who had been arrested in Aberdeen. He was 15-years-old running drugs to Aberdeen. I came to understand from the magistrates that that’s very frequent; they see that a lot.”
He added: "Communities have to step up and people have to take responsibility, parents have to take responsibility and I'm not one to shirk that, but communities need support and resources if they are to do this, and the Government and the Mayor need to be clear with a consensus that their ambition is to reduce violence across this city."
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