Idris Elba joins Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for launch of new anti-knife crime coalition

Idris Elba has told the government’s new anti-knife crime coalition “talk is good but action is important” as he called for a variety of perspectives on the issue.

The British actor and musician, 52, attended the first annual knife crime summit with Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday morning.

As an anti-knife crime campaigner, he is helping to bring together community groups and victims’ families who have first-hand experience that can be used to change policy.

With the help of the coalition, which will include his Elba Hope Foundation, the government hopes to halve knife crime over the next 10 years.

It is currently in the process of banning ninja swords and strengthening the law on online knife sales.

As well as community leaders and grassroots organisations, the coalition will include tech companies, sports groups, and representatives from the NHS, education sector and the police, the government said.

Elba told the meeting: “Talk is good, but action is important.

“We needed joined-up thinking, we needed so many different perspectives: parents’ perspectives, youth workers’ perspectives, charity organisations, governance, policing.

“We need all of these perspectives to sit around the table when you think about this.”

The Hollywood star said it is “not realistic” to think knife crime can be ended but said “we can tackle the attributes towards it”.

He said his son is 10 years old and he hopes the work they are doing will help him by the time he is 16.

Ahead of the summit, Elba described the coalition as a “positive step toward rehabilitating our communities from the inside out”.

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Sir Keir told the meeting he wants to make it harder to buy dangerous weapons online and said the government needs to “deal with the sanctions” on those found with knives.

The PM said he wants to “double down” on the pledge he made ahead of the election to “deal with knife crime” but admitted there was “no quick fix”.

Earlier this year, Elba met the King to discuss more ways to reduce youth violence – particularly through the King’s Trust.

When the Luther star was a teenager, he received a £1,500 grant from what was then the Prince’s Trust to attend the National Youth Music Theatre.

In January, he launched his own initiative, Don’t Stop Your Future, when he called for an immediate ban on zombie knives to speed up the previous government’s plans for one later this year.

Review into online knife sales

As the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir said he “saw first-hand the devastating impact knife crime has on young people and their families”.

Describing it as a “national crisis that we will tackle head-on” he reiterated Labour’s promise to halve offences over the next decade.

A rapid review into how knives are sold and delivered to under-18s online is being led by Commander Stephen Clayman, the national policing lead for knife crime.

As part of the new coalition, he will report back to the home secretary by the end of the year.

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He warned that “knives are far too easily accessible” and that he hopes to work with “government, retailer and the third sector to find ways we can bring meaningful, long-term change”.

Home Secretary Ms Cooper described the coalition as “crucial” and promised: “We will not sit back while precious lives are being lost and young people’s futures destroyed.”

The launch of the coalition and summit is part of the government’s 10-year plan on knife crime and builds on the Home Office’s Young Futures programme, which is working to offer young people a path away from violence.