Daily Mirror demands...

1 MORE POLICE WITH GREATER POWERS

We need more police and support officers. Police numbers have been cut by 20,000 under the Tories.

There is an urgent need for more officers on the beat with beefed up powers to tackle knife crime. We should look at tougher sentences for selling and carrying blades.

2 REVERSE THE CUTS TO YOUTH SERVICES

Since 2011 there has been a 44% cut to youth services. This has resulted in youth clubs and leisure facilities closing across the country.

Children’s mental health services and the number of youth and social workers have also been cut.

Scotland halted the rise in knife crime by giving young people help with education, training and housing.

3 BOOST AWARENESS OF KNIFE CRIME IN SCHOOLS Every secondary school should hold knife crime workshops to teach young people about the danger of carrying offensive weapons.

Young people should hear from relatives of knife-crime victims. Pupils should be taught about the dangers of social media and given advice on how to tackle peer pressure. There should be a dedicated police officer for every secondary school.

4 TACKLE THE PROBLEMS BEHIND THE EPIDEMIC Children excluded from school are twice as likely to carry a knife. Pupil Referral Units have become “finishing schools” for gangs.

At the same time young people are being caught up in wars between rival drug cartels. We need to improve PRUs and tackle Britain’s drug crisis.

5 INTRODUCE A DEDICATED KNIFE CRIME TSAR

There should be a single person responsible for co-ordinating the response to knife crime.

They should work with the police, schools and councils. Funds should be directed at the areas which need the most help.