![EastEnders star 'alarmed' as MPs overlook knife crime](https://cdn.magzter.com/1591272633/1718768988/articles/oWajH_P-Q1718771979491/EASTENDERS-STAR-ALARMED-AS-MPS-OVERLOOK-KNIFE-CRIME.jpg)
EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella has issued a plea for political leaders to "break their silence" on the knife crime epidemic as Britain goes to the polls.
The campaigner, whose brother Ben was brutally stabbed to death as he celebrated completing his GCSEs 16 years ago, said she was alarmed by the lack of attention given to the crisis in the election debate.
The 40-year-old has called for leaders to urgently prioritise saving young lives this general election amid rising numbers of attacks. She is joined by other grieving families who said there has been “no outcry” despite countless fatalities – with some fearing knife crime is only paid lip service when another tragedy hits the headlines.
The actor 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.
Esta historia es de la edición June 19, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 19, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
![A slow train to Manchester](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/iinVwCQ541719982315806/A-SLOW-TRAIN-TO-MANCHESTER.jpg)
A slow train to Manchester
With HS2 firmly on the scrap heap, Simon Calder inspects proposals from companies eager to fill the yawning gap
!['We just want him to stop'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/2z-QkplHC1719981994409/WE-JUST-WANT-HIM-TO-STOP.jpg)
'We just want him to stop'
Netflix docuseries The Man with 1000 Kids’ explores the case of a sperm donor who was banned from fathering any more children. Two mothers at the centre of the controversy talk to Kevin EG Perry about how their lives were upended
![Keir clocking off wouldn't make him a part-time PM](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/Q1UyslYNA1719981896345/KEIR-CLOCKING-OFF-WOULDNT-MAKE-HIM-A-PARTTIME-PM.jpg)
Keir clocking off wouldn't make him a part-time PM
Is anyone else worried that Keir Starmer is deluding himself? The Labour leader has said that if he makes it to No 10, he hopes to continue his routine of carving out “protected time” to spend with his wife, Victoria, their 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter.
![Boulter and Dart advance to set up spicy Battle of Britain](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/GkwLKg7oY1719981658338/BOULTER-AND-DART-ADVANCE-TO-SET-UP-SPICY-BATTLE-OF-BRITAIN.jpg)
Boulter and Dart advance to set up spicy Battle of Britain
With one sweeping backhand passing shot down the line, British No 1 Katie Boulter sauntered through to the second round at Wimbledon yesterday evening.
![Draper marches into void as Murray departs centre stage](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/34C0pVaXx1719981568114/DRAPER-MARCHES-INTO-VOID-AS-MURRAY-DEPARTS-CENTRE-STAGE.jpg)
Draper marches into void as Murray departs centre stage
Under the roof on Centre Court, the symbolism felt a little too obvious.
![Ruthless Gakpo leads the way as Oranje hit top form](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/4bqk8c2J41719981453539/RUTHLESS-GAKPO-LEADS-THE-WAY-AS-ORANJE-HIT-TOP-FORM.jpg)
Ruthless Gakpo leads the way as Oranje hit top form
For the first time in 16 years, the Netherlands have made it through to a European Championship quarter-final, and a showdown with Turkey in Berlin on Saturday.
![Turkey stuns Austria with chaotic but deserved win](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/ThkW_pzrh1719981338571/TURKEY-STUNS-AUSTRIA-WITH-CHAOTIC-BUT-DESERVED-WIN.jpg)
Turkey stuns Austria with chaotic but deserved win
Turkey were supposed to be Euro 2020’s dark horses. Maybe everyone whose predictions looked hideously bad when they crashed out with no points and a lone goal merely got the wrong tournament.
![Foreign judges urged to quit Hong Kong by mogul's son](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/uEyqUvt_m1719981237996/FOREIGN-JUDGES-URGED-TO-QUIT-HONG-KONG-BY-MOGULS-SON.jpg)
Foreign judges urged to quit Hong Kong by mogul's son
The son of media mogul Jimmy Lai has called on all foreign judges to leave Hong Kong’s judicial system, which he claimed pressures them to go along with Beijing’s clampdown on “prodemocracy protesters”.
![Beryl heads towards Jamaica leaving a trail of destruction](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/wdigkSPog1719981155293/BERYL-HEADS-TOWARDS-JAMAICA-LEAVING-A-TRAIL-OF-DESTRUCTION.jpg)
Beryl heads towards Jamaica leaving a trail of destruction
Hurricane Beryl roared through open waters yesterday as a category 5 storm on a path that will take it near Jamaica and the Cayman Islands after earlier making landfall in the southeast Caribbean, killing at least six people.
![Orban to Zelensky: Seek a quick ceasefire with Russia](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1753396/gptnToD7q1719981058341/ORBAN-TO-ZELENSKY-SEEK-A-QUICK-CEASEFIRE-WITH-RUSSIA.jpg)
Orban to Zelensky: Seek a quick ceasefire with Russia
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has urged Ukraine “to consider a quick ceasefire” with Russia during his first visit to the war-torn country since its invasion by Vladimir Putin.