To think the government needs to call a national emergency regarding gun and knife crime?

[dottypotter]

How much more can we take?waking up again today to more shootings and the creature being found guilty of Olivias murder in Liverpool? Drugs related. Stabbings all the time.

It's like the Wild West on our Streets.
Nothing is being done.
Someone needs to get a grip of this problem fast.
National Emergency.
Why dosent anyone care?

'Nothing is being done'

What do you think should happen?

No, we don't need some national emergency bollocks. We need long term proper spending on education and policing.

Re the drugs. We need idiots to stop taking drugs then there won't be any need for dealers.
If someone does shoot someone dead in a drugs battle they need to be locked up for life with no parole.
Let's hope this man in Liverpool gets a full life sentence. Make an example and start now.

Need to make a much stronger stance on drugs.
We may think other countries are too harsh giving death penalty for drug smuggling but at least they are strong.

If you think that the UK is like the wild west then its clear that you've never lived outside of the UK @dottypotter

The absolute last thing we need is an excuse for the government to do an authoritarian crackdown or lockdown.

That's to say nothing about the police.

A national emergency?? How would that work exactly? What would the general public do?

Agree with @girlfriend44 No buyers = no dealers, no mules, no turf wars.

If you take drugs whether you want to call it recreational or a bit of fun at the weekend you are responsible for passing the cash up the chain that funds knives, guns & rapes.

10 people in Hull are being charged with murder by stabbing. I believe youngest is 16, oldest 22. Sentence need to be better.

It’s lawless out there, try working in an inner city state comp and you’ll soon realise where we’re at. People love to bury their heads in the sand but FUCK ME, this generation is SHOCKING!!!

The solution is simple. People need to stop taking drugs. The dealers and the associated violence will no longer be necessary. However the government is powerless as people want to take drugs and no amount of enforcement action will stop them.

I agree with PP. Drugs are driving this criminality.

All these mc twats who think a bit of weed or coke is cool wouldn't be so smug if they actually lived cheeky by jowl with the gangs and dealers.

Maybe they should start with sorting out their corrupt police force

What would calling a national emergency do?
It is just words it is not going to change anything

I agree something needs to be done…but I don’t see what this will achieve

Yeah and also dangerous dogs

“FUCK ME, this generation is SHOCKING!!!”

THIS^ sums it up.

It’s too late by the time we get to the sentencing phase. The focus should be on deterrence.

Majority of drugs need to be legalized not criminalised further.

Agree re drugs linked to criminality

Money drives the crime, drugs are a means to an end to make money.

Stop. Voting. Tory.

Don't they bring in the army when there is a national emergency?

Not sure that would reduce the number of people with guns wandering round tbh

What we actually need is proper money investing in policing, housing, mental health services, the NHS, drug rehabilitation services, outreach clinics, teaching, sure start centres, social workers, disability care, homeless people etc etc

That will reduce gun and knife crime far more effectively and for a longer term than declaring a national emergency. Its less pithy for a political campaign slogan though I guess -more money for things we already know fix problems but we decided to break?

OnlyTheBravest · Today 19:48
The solution is simple. People need to stop taking drugs

I agree but governments, addiction experts and all manner of advisors have been trying to stop this for decades and nothing seems to work.

It's not as simple as "just don't take drugs". Drug dealers prey on the vulnerable. A lot of those who end up hooked are just sad putty in their hands - kids end up in care, they end up criminalised and then dead. People who've had fewer chances in life than most of us.

IMO, there's a decent argument for legalising soft stuff like cannabis, so that at least it is properly regulated, people know what shit they're putting in their body, and gangs and dealers aren't profiting. And then seriously crack down and go tough on the hard drugs and those who deal in them.

This is is not a situation that calls for a national emergency.

In fact, the last national emergency fuelled the crisis, so please, no more.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/08/03/middle-class-drug-users-fuel-soaring-number-cocaine-deaths/

And that's how the USA won the War on Drugs and stopped having such problems ever again.

Meanwhile, in Portugal...