Blunkett backs Boris’s call to fight knife crime with stronger stop and search powers

LORD BLUNKETT has backed Boris Johnson’s call for police to have stronger stop and search powers to combat knife crime.

Writing in today’s Daily Telegraph, the former Labour home secretary says: “I can’t see how you can stop someone carrying a knife if you can’t search them for one.”

He admits some people might be surprised he was backing the former London mayor and foreign secretary, but writes: “Stop and search, used intelligently and with – instead of targeted at – the communities most affected, has to be a prime enforcement tool, just to get that grip which makes it possible to implement other measures.” Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, wants to make it easier for police to use S60 emergency stop and searches over a longer period. S60 powers allow police to stop suspects without having to show reasonable grounds. His plan was reportedly behind a clash with the Prime Minister last week.

Lord Blunkett also backed chief constables and Mr Javid in their proposals to tackle knife crime with hotspot forces in Britain. The package, which requires at least £20million in extra funding, was submitted to the Home Office yesterday.

Recalling a similar street crime crisis under Labour, Lord Blunkett says: “We were successful in dealing with these challenges because we not only put immediate extra resources at the disposal of the police, but drew together, on a regular basis, all the agencies involved in tackling this scourge.”

He adds: “Within six months, we had reduced street crime in London by 50 per cent and prevented it cascading into other major urban areas.”

Mr Javid is understood to be seeking £300million more over three years to help the police combat serious violence, including knife crime, in addition to the £1billion extra announced last year. This would have to be agreed with the Treasury by the middle of next week, when Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, presents the spring statement.