■ We have been hit by the double tragedy of two knife killings in the London Borough of Camden in the space of a week. Both Kilburn and Primrose Hill experienced these sad events at the end of 2023. Our hearts go out the families, relatives and friends of these two victims and the shocked neighbours.
■ Knife crime has been a growing calamity over the past 8 years. Our Mayor seems unaware or unable to deal with this plague. Our families are very fearful – keeping youngsters at home at nights and avoiding many areas.
■ But, there is a way to reduce the scourge of knife crime, though it will take hard work. First, we need to accept and understand today’s sad reality. Second, we need to increase collaborative work across all forms of government, charities, schools and families. Early preventative interventions and designing out crime are key - more intelligence led CCTV cameras, increased police patrol and intelligence gathering. Then, more avenues of positive action will open up. We will have to work even harder than in the 2000s when knife crime was reduced.
■ Finally, there must be a single minded desire to change things. These actions will not help those we have sadly lost but will save lives in the future.
Yours sincerely
Julie Redmond Don Williams
Conservative candidates
