Nick Clegg is wrong on knife crime – we need minimum sentences

In today’s Guardian Nick Clegg sets out his reasons why he is stopping the government tabling clauses that would require mandatory sentences on second conviction for possession of a knife. Quite simply: I don’t agree with Nick.

His argument for doing nothing further is simply that we are doing enough already. True, the latest Crime Survey of England and Wales released by the Office for National Statistics shows knife crime is down by four per cent on last year.

But that will be little comfort to the victims of knife crime and their families. Yet again this week we learnt of another fatal stabbing – this time of a 17 year old Londoner. My heart goes out to yet another family for their appalling and tragic loss.

The drop in knife crime will be of little comfort to them and others. Of course it is welcome news – but the fact is, knife crime is still too high and the Deputy Prime Minister is wrong to suggest that rehabilitation is so successful that we don’t need more effective and mandatory sentencing for possession of a knife on a second conviction.