Following weeks of negotiations, the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Secretary of State for Justice, announced his decision to support the knife crime amendment backed by Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland, which would see anyone over the age of 16 receiving a mandatory custodial sentence for endangering or threatening life with a knife.
Stephen commented, “I am pleased that, after a successful parliamentary campaign, the Government has taken the right decision and will now ensure there are strong deterrents against committing knife crime. With the introduction of this amendment, young people who are convicted of this new offence called aggravated carrying of a knife – which means they have used a knife to threaten or endanger life, will face a mandatory prison sentence.“
Stephen added, “The changes I have backed are tough on crime and tough on criminals. They provide direct backing to the Police and demonstrate to criminals that knife crime will not be tolerated.”
The successful Parliamentary campaign had support from around 40 Members of Parliament, led by Nick de Bois, as well as The Sun, the Metropolitan Police Federation and anti-Knife Crime campaigners.