Oral Answers to Questions

Natasha Irons Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

This is why the Leader of the Opposition always cheers me up. She talks about living within our means, having left a £22 billion black hole. She talks about our first year. I am really proud of our first year in government. We promised 2 million extra NHS appointments, and we delivered 4 million—a promise made and a promise delivered. We promised the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation within the first 100 days—a promise made and a promise delivered. We promised free breakfast clubs—a promise made and a promise delivered. On banning bonuses for water bosses who pollute our rivers, which is a mess the Conservatives left—a promise made and a promise delivered. Creating GB Energy—a promise made and a promise delivered. The largest increase in defence spending since the last Labour Government—a promise made and a promise delivered. Putting more money in the pockets of working people, particularly the 3 million who are the lowest paid, through the national minimum wage—a promise made and a promise delivered. We are only getting started. The Chancellor has led on all these issues, and we are grateful to her for it.

[Natasha Irons (Croydon East) (Lab)]

Q2.  Unlike the Conservatives, this Government have not dragged their feet in banning zombie knives and ninja-style swords in their effort to tackle knife crime. In Croydon, where youth violence has cast a devastating shadow across our communities, our local police are running a surrender scheme this month to take those dangerous weapons off our streets. Will the Prime Minister join me in commending the tireless work of Croydon’s police officers, and will he outline what his Government are doing to ensure that the Met police have the resources they need both to protect neighbourhood policing and to deal with the unique challenges they face?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is right to speak of the importance of banning these despicable weapons. I know how much she cares about this issue. The ban on zombie knives and machetes came into effect last year, and the ban on ninja swords will come into effect this August. The Crime and Policing Bill will increase penalties for illegal sales and will give the police new powers to seize knives. What did the Conservatives do when we put that Bill before the House to take those measures? They voted against it. Knife crime soared on their watch, and they have clearly learnt absolutely nothing.