Tories launch third zombie knife crackdown since 2016 to ‘close loopholes’ on ban
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The Tory administration has declared its third effort to suppress zombie knives since 2016, with the aim of closing the "loopholes" in their earlier attempts to outlaw these perilous instruments.
James Cleverly, who is the Home Secretary, supported the government's actions against knife crime while revealing new laws that will be presented to parliament on Thursday.
The prohibition of zombie-themed knives was implemented in 2016 after the administration marked them as having a sharp edge, a jagged edge, and "pictures or phrases" that imply aggression.
The Labour party stated that six previous Conservative home secretaries had already promised these changes, but they are not a complete ban due to certain "loopholes."
On Thursday, Chris Philp, the minister in charge of policing, acknowledged that a previous effort to address knife-related crime had a clear oversight. The prohibition only applied to knives that featured words or images that could be perceived as threatening.
During an interview with LBC, the junior minister of the Home Office disclosed that there was a significant loophole in the law. He explained that knives that were deemed illegal in 2019 were required to have words or images that could be interpreted as threatening in order for them to be prohibited.
As a result of the situation, the makers took action by removing the language and images from their products. Additionally, they are also addressing various gaps in the system.
James Cleverly joins police officers on patrol at Gravesend High Street.
Government officials are optimistic that the implementation of stricter regulations in September will put a halt to the sale of perilous knives and machetes by certain merchants, without any violation of the law.
Before making the official statement, Mr. Cleverly had a meeting with police chiefs from Kent to talk about different initiatives aimed at preventing youth violence. Additionally, he accompanied police officers on a foot patrol of Gravesend town centre.
The declaration of new laws coincides with the introduction of a £100 million initiative by Labour that aims to address the issue of knife-related crimes involving young people.
Idris Elba, a famous actor, has started a campaign named 'Don't Stop Your Future' to push the government to ban machetes and zombie knives as soon as possible.
The latest proposal, which mirrors the SureStart childcare initiative of New Labour, aims to establish a focused national program that identifies and provides assistance to youths who are susceptible to getting involved in violent activities.
The Labour party has made a commitment to allocate £100 million towards a youth scheme aimed at fighting knife crime.
When Mr. Cleverly was asked about the delay in passing the law, he said that steps have already been taken to ban the possession of zombie knives.
As soon as I took on the role of home secretary, I quickly chose to take additional action and propose this supplementary law to reinforce our previous efforts in prohibiting the possession of zombie knives and eliminating any loopholes.
I'm glad that we are making an effort to take action and we will work hard to remove these knives from the public areas.
He announced the measures and said, "It is not acceptable for minors to purchase them, and it is our responsibility to provide adolescents with a means of avoiding violence."
The government decided to expand the meaning of the word to cover "cyclone knives", which have two twisted blades, as part of a more severe approach in 2019. The fresh prohibition will render it against the law to own, trade, craft or transfer any of these menacing, machete-style weaponry.
There is also an initiative called surrender scheme where individuals can voluntarily relinquish their weapons before the law takes effect without facing any negative repercussions.
According to Mr. Cleverly, the actions being implemented this week will enhance and reinforce the government's capability to combat knife crime.
He said: "We will continue to build on what has been a successful story since 2019. During this time, there has been a considerable decrease in knife crime. Our plan is effective and has resulted in a reduction of knife crime."
The authorities are also aiming to make punishment stricter for individuals who have prohibited arms by elevating the highest penalty time from half a year to two years.
Yvette Cooper, who holds the position of shadow home secretary in the Labour party, has expressed her disappointment regarding the changes proposed by six previous Conservative home secretaries. According to her, these changes fall short in comparison to the Labour party's more extensive plans for an outright prohibition.
Deadly weapons such as ninja swords, which have caused fatalities among young individuals, will remain accessible in the UK's public areas.
She stated: "Despite this, online platforms that are breaking the law and benefiting from these illicit sales are receiving minimal punishment instead of being held accountable with criminal penalties. If in power, the Labour party would take action to fix these obvious gaps in the government's strategy."
