COVENTRY’S new MPs have spoken in Parliament about the city’s knife crime and called for more police.
It follows another shocking fatal stabbing, of Ramani Morgan, aged 16, in Stoke, Coventry at the weekend.
Newly elected 27-year-old MP Taiwo Owatemi made her maiden speech in the House of Commons this week (March 4), with a plea for more police officers.
Ms Owatemi, the Labour MP for Coventry North-West, spoke at Prime Minister’s Questions to ask PM Boris Johnson about his pledge for increased officer numbers.
She said: “Last month a young man from my constituency was fatally stabbed, and just this weekend another young man was stabbed in Coventry.
“Violent crime in the city is rising, yet I only have ten police officers in my constituency, some of which I share with my Coventry police.
“Seeing as the prime minister has made such a big deal about his 20,000 new police officers, can he tell my constituents when we are going to get our fair share?”
Responding, Boris Johnson said: “The honourable lady is absolutely right to raise the issue of stabbings and violent crimes.
“I agree with her they are too high and must come down.
“That’s one of the reasons we are increasing the number of police officers in the country and as she heard in the House of Commons will be going up by 366 immediately.”
The city’s other newly elected MP Zarah Sultana has also called for action on knife crime, in questions to the Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Ms Sultana has said “additional police is along not enough” and the government should focus on the “urgency of a public health approach to knife crime.”
She added: “The tragedy of young people losing their lives to knife crime must end. Results from Glasgow and elsewhere show that means taking a robust public health approach to knife crime.
“It means investment in our young people and giving them opportunities and hope for the future. “
