Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the Mayor's announcement that he is starting a new Violence Reduction Unit of specialists in health, police and local government to deliver a public health approach to tackling the causes of violent crime, said:
“This initiative is welcome and should have been adopted long ago.
“I have repeatedly urged the Mayor to adopt such an approach to tackling knife crime and other forms of violent crime. Back in June I even presented the Mayor with a petition urging exactly this approach.
“There is much that London could learn from Glasgow’s success in tackling violent crime, as well as other cities such as Birmingham.
“The Mayor’s proposals today must also lead to far more effective use of anonymous data about violent attacks that A&E departments are able to gather.
“And ensuring youth workers are located within every A&E department in London is also vital to help steer young Londoners away from violence.”