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Only 10 out of 74 London MPs attend crucial knife debate
Nicholas Cecil, Political Correspondent06.06.08
Just 10 London MPs attended a Commons debate on knife crime - despite public concern over a spate of teenage killings.
The vast majority of the capital's 74 elected MPs said they had made other plans or had meetings to attend, though many were reluctant to go into details.
The Evening Standard is campaigning for a five-point plan to protect teenagers from knives. One key demand - for fewer cautions and more prosecutions when youngsters are caught with knives - has been embraced by Gordon Brown.
The rest of the 646 MPs from around the country were even thinner on the ground on a sunny Thursday afternoon when there were no compulsory votes. At times in the debate, the number of MPs on all sides of the chamber fell to just 12.
One London MP with a good excuse for not attending was Jon Cruddas, whowas taking part in an Operation Blunt exercise with police in his Dagenham constituency, which involved talking to youngsters about the dangers of knives and asking them about their experiences.
Hornchurch MP James Brokenshire, a shadow home affairs minister, said: "The scourge of knife crime has touched the lives of too many people across the country."
Brent South's Dawn Butler said there were more than 200 knife crimes a year in Brent: "What's different is that the victims are becoming younger and younger." She said "postcode wars" and "road codes" left youngsters too frightened to enter neighbouring areas.
Tom Brake (Carshalton), the Liberal Democrat spokesman, said: "These families are never going to recover from this. Parliament-cannot stand idly by while knife crime takes the lives of our young people.
"We need more research into the causes of knife crime, we need better deterrents, better detection, more enforcement and indeed tougher sentences."
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker, whose father was a London police officer, admitted the courts were failing to mete out the maximum sentences for knife crimes. He said: "It has to be said that the courts do need to look at the availability of the four-year sentence to them when they make their sentencing decision."
Colchester MP Bob Russell spoke of the grief suffered by a family in his constituency and admitted: "More should have been done a long time ago."
Reader views (27)
It's absolutely outrageous. ALL London's MPs should have been forced to attend. In fact all MPs should have been there. If Labour's insistence for ALL their MPs to be at the 42 day debate was possible, why not something as urgent as this? These people are out of control and out of touch. Time for changes I reckon. The whole set up stinks.
- David, Leicester, England
My MP surely would not be bothered with that sort of thing, it only happens in the more deprived areas.
Oh yeah with the recent knife point muggings in Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip, he should have been there.
When elected he was all over Ressidents Assn meetings like a rash, but now never seen or heard.[Nick Hurd Con Ruislip and Northwood].
- Richard Partridge, Ruislip Middx UK
They are just to lazy to attend.
- Andrew Barton, London
Someone stabbed in the neck in Debenhams Clapham Junction on Saturday. Not even news these days.
- Bob, London
Well that just about sums up the apathy that shrouds this sad country of ours. All of those that didn't turn up - without a very good excuse and in a meeting doesn't count - should be made to walk around certain parts of London, on their own, late at night!
These people do not care one jot for the ordinary people, they are just there to pontificate and take the big bucks that they do not deserve. I despair for my children...
- Kane, Sittingbourne,Kent, UK
I suppose we will have to wait until one of our MPs children or a famous persons child is stabbed before proper attention is paid to this important issue.
- Linda Taggart, London
Disgusting. Those London MPs not there for this debate should hang their heads in shame.
- Craig, Pinner, Middlesex
Had it been a debate on reducing their expenses, I'm sure the turnout would have been far greater.
- Steve, Northampton UK
I was so upset to see on t.v. two ladies whose families had been affected by knife crime who were devastated that so few MPs attended the debate, but maybe many of them were busy and help in other ways. I should like to ask the Editor of this paper, what can we do to show we care, and show we support the initiatives of the new Mayor to fight knife crime, and also to support anything the government is doing? We should forget party politics and all get behind any initiatives, because this is too important to care about who is doing what. I am just glad if anyone is doing anything.
During the Mayoral election, there were stickers I put on my bag and luggage when I travelled, to show my support for Mayor Johnson, and a lot of people noticed them, here and abroad. Could the Standard print stickers or badges for us to wear, to show we care and support any initiatives? You could do a specially priced issue and I would gladly pay extra to cover the cost of the stickers or badges. I know that a man is marching today, with many others to show support for the fight against crime. WHAT CAN WE DO, Editor of the Standard, you have taken the lead brilliantly in the election, what can we do now?
- Angela King., London
Knife crime is stable year on year. There are already laws against carrying knives. The fact that a few tabloids are highlighting a spate of stabbings doesn't mean there is a need for yet more vacuous and pointless legislation.
- Mark, London, UK
So, if someone stabs you with a knife they get more jail time than someone who beats you with a bat, would a cut be more of a crime than a fractured skull?
- Luke, Nacodoches,Texas
Firstly, Lee Scott, MP for Ilford North, actually spoke in the debate, although you have him down as 'no reply from office'.
Second, only 24 hours notice of what will be in these topical debates is given, so many MPs will already be engaged in Committee or Ministerial or other duties. Many Parliamentary Committees meet on a Thursday, and deputies are not allowed.
Thirdly, this is only a debate, it does not lead to a vote or any kind of action.
- Sjm, London, UK
This proves that our elected politicians simply do not care, and they are not in touch with the concern of Londoners.
- Marph, London
Probably all in John Lewis shopping for a new kitchen.
Work?? Don't be silly.
- Graham, Lithuania
Probably all too busy out spending their expense money at John Lewis. One must keep his priorities straight.
- R M, London, UK
Dave, if you read the article, you'll see that Boris was at a meeting on policing with Bob Neill.
DO try to keep up!
- Martin, Telford England
All a load of hot air.
Credit to the 12 that attended, shame on the rest of them - bunch of free loading half wits have no clue what goes on in the real world anyway.
To your respondent who questioned where was Boris - Boris wouldn't be there as he is now the mayor and doesn't sit in the house of commons!
- Jason Piers, London UK
Dave
He resigned to concentrate on being Mayor - keep up with the news!!
- Oscar, London
Sack the lot of them.....
- Teddy, Islington, London
Seeing as this is a target led government. MPs have no targets on the number of times, they reply to constituents, attend the chamber, etc. This being poorly attended with a load of lame excuses comes as no surprise. I watch the Parliament channel a lot and find the quality of the MPs that even do attend low.
- Petes, London
Getting fed up with all of this lot and the next lot is there a legal person out there that can help and tell us how we can challenge these people that are elected to look after us but clearly do not care.
- Anon, anon
Where was Boris?
- Dave, London
The debate was organised at the last minute as a topical debate, so MPs who had other engagements would not necessarily have been able to cancel them to get there. There was also no substantive motion to be agreed; it was just an exchange of views.
- David Boothroyd, London, UK
Do these people even care? and you wonder what should be their priority - saving the planet? perhaps by the time everyone is dead from knife killings there will be no one to enjoy the so called planet they are trying to save. It's a shame to see that only 10 attended what should be a major concern for all. I must also say that it took Brown to give the issue his attention.
- Sola, Basildon, Essex.
Would each and every one of the waste of space MPs in the above list now publicly account for themselves immediately. NOTHING they were doing was more important then attending this crucial knife debate and if they think we are falling for their ministerial duties excuse, they can think again.. lazy overpaid useless crowd of idiots.
- Marina, East Anglia
I live in Hackney and am a constituent of Dianne Abbott MP. There are few more important concerns in London than knife crime and so it was very worrying to see that she had not bothered to attend this debate at the House of Commons. I phoned her office to discover what the vital constituency meeting was all about which prevented her from properly performing her public duty - the office staff refused to tell me! I suspect she was not sufficiently interested and should apologise to the people in Hackney for her casual approach to this matter.
- Jo Morris, London
The only thing MPs care about is maximising their expenses. The electorate may be concerned about knife crime but they are not prepared to work on this and they wonder why the Public has a low opinion of them!
- Dave, London
