Reform UK's Richard Tice loses it in heated election row over stop and search on Channel 4

Sadiq Khan’s refusal to support stop and search has led to London’s streets becoming more dangerous, the policing minister has warned.

Chris Philp said he “believes” in the tactic “as a way of taking knives off the streets”.

And he pointed towards the Mayor of London’s lack of support for stop of search as a reason behind a rise in knife crime in the capital.

But the Green Party leader Carla Denyer claimed stop and search is “racist” and vowed to scrap its routine use, leading to a jibe from Richard Tice, of Reform UK, that “we’re all going to get stabbed”.

Policing minister Chris Philp told the Channel 4 News debate: “I believe in stop and search as a way of taking knives off the streets. Labour's mayor, Sadiq Khan in London, unfortunately doesn't, which leads I think to London's streets being less safe.

“We also need to invest in hotspot policing. We have now got hotspot patrols. They launched a few weeks ago across England and Wales.

“Intensive patrols in areas where antisocial behaviour and serious violence is a problem… to make sure the police are on the spot when antisocial behaviour or other incidents may occur.”

Police recorded 49,489 knife crimes in the year to December 2023 – up seven per cent.

This was up from 46,153 in 2022, but three per cent lower than pre-Covid pandemic levels.

Reform UK chairman Richard Tice echoed support for stop and search, adding that police should “dramatically increase” its use.

But this sparked a row with Green Party leader Ms Denyer, who told the audience: “Research from the Runneymede Trust has shown that black people are 18 times more likely to be stopped with stop and search.

“The way stop and search works, whether it is intended to be or not, is racist. And the Green Party would stop the routine use of stop and search.

Mr Tice flew back: “So knife crime is going to go up, the evidence is there. Reduce stop and search, knife crime soars.

“If the Green party gets in, we’re all going to be stabbed and knifed even more.

“It’s called a deterrent. That is what policing is all about.”

Former Eastenders actress Brooke Kinsella has urged politicians to “break their silence” on knife crime amid rising concern amongst parents.

Ms Kinsella’s brother, Ben, was stabbed to death as he celebrated completing his GCSE exams.

The actress told The Independent: “I’m alarmed by the lack of attention given to the rising tide of knife crime during this election campaign. Since my brother Ben’s tragic murder in 2008, over 1,000 teenagers have lost their lives, and the numbers keep climbing – an 81 per cent increase in knife crime in the last decade.

“All evidence suggests this will worsen. Our trust’s recent survey revealed a worrying trend: one in four young people believe carrying a knife offers protection.

“Loopholes in legislation and lax online age verification make it shockingly easy to acquire dangerous knives. Unsanctioned violent content on social media further exposes young minds to knife crime. The age of knife carriers is dropping too.

“With a heavy heart, I fear more families will suffer our loss unless this issue is tackled urgently. Knife crime is a silent epidemic, and it’s time for political leaders to break the silence during this campaign.”

Her intervention comes after a string of horrifying recent attacks, including the killing of 14-year-old schoolboy Daniel Anjorin in a sword rampage in April as he walked to school in Hainault, east London, and the stabbing of schoolgirl Elianne Andam, 15, at a bus stop in Croydon last year.