Actor and musician Idris Elba, 52, has joined Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper at the first annual knife crime summit. The event, held on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 10 Downing Street, marked the launch of a new government coalition aimed at tackling knife crime in the UK.
As a prominent anti-knife crime campaigner, Elba emphasised the need for action alongside dialogue. “Talk is good, but action is important,” he said, calling for a wide range of perspectives in the fight against knife crime, including those of parents, youth workers, charities, and the police.
The coalition, which includes Elba's Hope Foundation, is part of the government’s 10-year plan to halve knife crime by addressing its root causes. It will bring together community groups, tech companies, sports organisations, the NHS, the education sector, and law enforcement to develop holistic solutions.
Elba also shared his personal motivation, noting that his 10-year-old son’s future is at the heart of his commitment to this issue. "We can't end knife crime, but we can tackle the factors that lead to it," he said.
Ahead of the summit, Elba described the coalition as a "positive step toward rehabilitating our communities from the inside out." He has been a long-time advocate for youth empowerment, launching initiatives like “Don't Stop Your Future” earlier this year to push for faster action on banning dangerous weapons like zombie knives.
Prime Minister Starmer echoed Elba’s sentiments, reiterating Labour’s commitment to making it harder to buy dangerous weapons online and enforcing tougher sanctions on those caught carrying knives. “There’s no quick fix, but we will double down on our efforts to tackle this crisis head-on,” he said.
A rapid review of online knife sales is currently underway, with a report due by the end of the year, aiming to tighten restrictions on knife access for under-18s.
The summit marks the beginning of a long-term strategy to address the surge in knife crime and follows earlier discussions between Elba and King Charles on reducing youth violence.
