Last month I attended the launch of a new All Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime chaired by Sarah Jones, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Croydon Central.

Violent crime, including knife crime, is going up under this Tory government and at the same time the number of police has been cut by more than 20,000 as always happens with Conservative governments. Every single life lost to knife crime is a tragedy for the family and friends of the victim and the wider community and much more must urgently be done to reduce it. I know from speaking to local residents in Dulwich and West Norwood that this is something that they are very concerned about.

Over the coming months, the new group will examine the factors contributing to the increase in knife crime and the most effective ways to address it - including neighbourhood policing, youth work, education, mental health services and a range of other areas.

We will make recommendations and call on the government to take urgent action to keep our young people safer.