Labour's Yvette Cooper visits Swindon to discuss knife crime
The Shadow Home Secretary is meeting with neighbourhood police and local organisations.
Last updated 23rd Feb 2023
Labour's Yvette Cooper is visiting Swindon today, as new figures show knife crime has doubled across Wiltshire in seven years.
The number of knife offences reported to Wiltshire Police has more than doubled since 2015.
There were 134 offences in 2015, rising to 274 last year - an increase of more than 100%.
The Shadow Home Secretary is meeting with neighbourhood police and local organisations tackling knife crime.
Across the South West region, knife crime has increased by 87% since 2015.
Meanwhile, new police workforce figures show the South West has lost 35% of its PCSOs since 2010.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Knife crime is devastating and leaves families and communities bereft. In Wiltshire and other areas across the South West, it has doubled in recent years, but the Conservative Government has failed to act. They’ve taken police off the streets just when we need them most. We can’t carry on with Government turning its back on communities and young people who need help.
“The next Labour government will take knife crime seriously, taking the strongest action against online sites promoting and selling dangerous knives, cracking down on the gangs who are dragging kids into crime and putting 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and PCSOs on Britain’s streets.”