New figures reveal major rise in knife crime across Wiltshire
Labour has pledged to clamp down on the issue
Last updated 24th Feb 2023
New figures from Labour have revealed a major rise in knife crime across Swindon and Wiltshire.
The number of knife offences reported to Wiltshire Police has more than doubled in seven years. There were 134 offences in 2015, compared to 274 last year.
Across the South West, knife crime increased by 87% over the same period. However, the South West has lost more than a third of its Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) since 2010.
£360m to support police in neighbourhoods
If Labour returns to power at the next general election, it has pledged to spend £360 million on what it calls a "neighbourhood policing package". The party says the funding will be used to hire 13,000 extra neighbourhood officers and PCSOs nationwide.
Furthermore, Labour is promising to tackle knife crime through various government policies. They include tough measures against online sites selling dangerous weapons and gangs who recruit children, as well as rolling-out youth mentors to work with troubled teenagers.
The new pledges come as Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper visited Swindon this week, talking with police and local residents who are tackling knife crime.
Ms Cooper toured around the town centre with officers, learning about the challenges they face with anti-social behaviour. She also met staff from BEST, a Swindon charity which provides sports training and mentoring to vulnerable young people.
'Labour will be committed to the police on the beat'
During the tour, the Shadow Home Secretary spoke to Greatest Hits Radio.
"Knife crime is just devastating for families, it makes communities feel really unsafe. So there's got to be much stronger action against knife crime ... whatever the cause, we've got to crack down on it.
"(Labour want) more neighbourhood police to work with communities and with young people," she said.
When asked how her party would fund the £360 million scheme, Ms Cooper explained that existing officers would have to reduce "huge amounts of waste".
"That is from a new requirement for forces to share some of their services on the way in which they procure equipment.
"We've had detailed research done and you can get that extra money to put back into policing.
"Labour will be committed to the police on the beat and you're just not seeing that from the Conservatives. Instead, policing is just becoming reactive and not preventing things in the community," she added.
'She is strong on alarmism and a little weak on facts'
The Home Secretary recently hit back at her shadow, claiming "she is strong on alarmism, strong on hysteria and a little weak on facts.
"Thanks to government funding, our streets are safer and there are fewer victims of crime," Suella Braverman said.
She also claims that, since the last general election in 2019, the government is "proud" to have delivered "more police and less crime".