Knife crime ‘will not be fixed overnight’ by crackdown on zombie-style blades

Knife crime will not be tackled “overnight” by the Government’s latest ban on zombie-style blades and a fourth crackdown could be announced in future, the policing minister has said.

Chris Philp did not rule out further action being taken on certain types of swords if necessary amid calls to widen the scope of the prohibition.

Previous attempts to ban the knives have defined them as having threatening images or words on them. But the new law will mean that blades without any logos will also be recognised if they have other key features, such as a cutting or serrated edge, the Home Office says.

This is the Government’s third attempt at banning the blades since 2016, and campaigners including actor Idris Elba have expressed concern that other weapons such as swords are still not included in the legislation.

Speaking to broadcasters on Thursday’s morning media round, the policing minister said he had spoken with Elba in the Home Office on Wednesday about the issue and suggested the ban could be expanded again.

“A regular sword, like the sort a historic soldier might carry, would probably not qualify. It would depend on the design, but they may not qualify. That’s because there are a number of issues like… some religions have those swords.”

He added: “But the commitment that the Government will make, and I’ll make now, is that if we find in the future (that) there are other things that need to be brought into the scope, then we can do another statutory instrument like the one we’re doing today to ban those, because it’s much faster than using primary legislation.”

Asked whether the legislation laid on Thursday will combat the issue comprehensively, he told LBC: “It’s a step forward, but I’m not going to claim it’s going to overnight fix all the issues with knife crime, but it’s an important part of it.”

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday show knife crime offences recorded by police forces in England and Wales rose year-on-year but have not yet returned to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the year to September 2023, there were 240 killings involving knives and other sharp instruments, which was broadly unchanged on the 241 recorded in the previous year and also lower than pre-pandemic figures.

More than 19,000 cautions and convictions were handed out for possession of a knife or offensive weapon in the year ending March 2023, according to sentencing statistics from the Ministry of Justice.

Elba welcomed the new ban as a “step in the right direction” but expressed reservations about whether it will work as gaps remain in the legislation.

“Unfortunately it doesn’t ban all knives, including swords. However, the significant step towards zombie knives and machetes is something that I think is really important,” he said.

“We’ve seen in the past that it hasn’t achieved… in fact you see knife crime rise in certain instances. But I do think there is a slightly more joined-up approach.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government has announced its proposals “about 16 times before” and a “much broader ban” is needed.

“It’s got to include things like the ninja swords and other dangerous weapons as well, and there’s got to be stronger penalties for the online marketplaces who are still profiting from the sale of illegal knives,” she told Sky News.

Meanwhile, Labour is focusing on a youth programme to tackle knife crime, pledging £100 million for a nationwide initiative to support young people at risk of being drawn into violence.

Alongside the programme, it is also promising “real consequences” for those who offend, with an end to “empty warnings and apology letters” for those guilty of possession.

The Conservatives said the announcement is “just another reheated pledge from the Labour Party using money they have already spent seven times”.