I seconded a motion on knife crime, I made a plea for hope, an end to austerity, a life time access to education and respect for the work of the Parliamentary Youth Violence commission and its integrated early years approach. ….
Here are my notes for the speech, there are some slight differences to what I said …
The motion and the mover focus on the impact of knife crime as an aspect of the increasing violence in our society on our emergency worker members.
I live in New Cross, Lewisham, one of the epicentres of youth violence in London. My Labour MP, Vicky Foxcroft is Chair of the Youth Violence Commission established by Parliament. This has published an interim report.
The first thing that needs to be given is hope. Without the hope of a better life, why would people choose that better life.
This requires a macro-and micro approach.
The micro approach involves a focus on early years and early intervention, a fundamental reform of youth services and boosting support in schools. Once a child is excluded from school, hope has gone for most. Together with an investment in community policing and a review of the approach to drugs these constitute a “Public Health Approach” to youth violence which requires a sustained, committed and integrated response to the causes of Youth Violence.
The macro dimension refers to macro-economic policy; while the provision of jobs and education programmes to allow people to work and fulfil themselves is crucial, but without early years intervention, the graduates of a “without hope” youth will not take advantage of this.
We must recognise that there are many fantastic young people, they need to know we believe in them and will work to ensure they have the fantastic futures we know they’re capable of
Austerity must be reversed; we must invest in high skills jobs and we need an Education system for Life … there are things that traditional politics can and must do.
We cannot exclusively rely on a brave, but increasingly thin blue line, often traumatised by being the first responders to knife crime incidents.
Please support the motion