Today in Parliament, the growing concern over knife crime was discussed, and it’s clear that Greater Manchester is no exception, with a 94.6% rise in knife crime over the past decade.
Knife crime devastates communities, tears apart families and leaves our young people vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and, in the worst cases, death. No one should live in fear of violence, which is why we remain committed to making Oldham a safe place for all.
This is an issue we have continuously campaigned about locally, pushing for increased neighbourhood services, community intervention, and youth support – all of which have been reduced under the Tories. Alongside local police and community leaders, my focus has been on both responding to knife crime and preventing it in the first instance. This has led us to support initiatives such as targeted stop-and-search, mentoring and educational opportunities, and long-term solutions to root causes of poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity.
The page is turning; we finally have a government committed to addressing the systemic issues that drive knife crime, establishing vital support and prioritising prevention. Current government bills like the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Crime and Policing Bill are steps in the right direction through measures that include increasing neighbourhood policing, introducing mental health support in every school, and establishing violence reduction units.
In particular, the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy focuses on early intervention, education, and support for families to prevent young people from becoming involved in violence. The strategy also emphasises collaboration between the police, local authorities, schools, and charities so that our community can tailor initiatives specifically to what our young people are facing.
We must be honest that there is a crisis facing our young people that has been going on for far too long. These government initiatives will help us to go further at a community level, push for early prevention and provide better outcomes for our young people.
Above all, we want to send a clear message that knife crime will not be tolerated in Oldham and through collaboration with the government and the community, we will combat this issue.
Together, we must act now for the future of our young people.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 