Rochdale Liberal Democrats

Let's act on knife crime

No parent should have to bury their child.

It's crushing to see it happening so much the news.

Knife crime is an epidemic on our streets. The Conservative Party's fixation on cutting police to the bone is causing harm. In 2017-18, over 800 teenagers were admitted to hospital with stab wounds.

High-quality youth work has been proven time and time again to help vulnerable young people escape the clutches of gangs. But the Conservatives have repeatedly defunded these vital outreach programs. We owe it to our children to fight for this funding to be restored.

Liberal Democrats demand better.

But police alone won't solve this crisis.

We've passed policy to refocus our fight against knife crime at York conference. We're committing to:

• a major reinvestment in youth services
• making youth services a statutory service, protecting them from cuts
• working with local government to produce clear guidance for councils for what they should be doing
  enough grant funding to match that service provision

There's a solution to knife crime. Contrary what Gavin Williamson thinks, it's not sending in the SAS. This policy is a welcome step to making our streets safer - I'm incredibly proud of it and of my party for passing it.

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