Doreen: Tory cuts have made young turn to violence..

Our children are abandoned to street gangs. Baroness in plea to restore youth services

- SOPHIE HUSKISSON

DOREEN Lawrence has blamed Conservative cuts to youth services for the horrific rise in violence among young people.

Baroness Lawrence, 70, whose son Stephen was murdered in a racist attack 30 years ago, criticised the funding cuts, warning children are ending up on the streets and in gangs.

Speaking at an event with Keir Starmer to mark the 30th anniversary of her son's murder on April 22, she said that she wanted to see "more young people survive", as she declared "change really needs to happen".

Some 760 youth centres have closed due to spending cuts since the Tories came to power 13 years ago.

Baroness Lawrence said: "Since youth centres have been closed, young people have nowhere to go.

"They end up on the streets and then they get picked up by police and they get into gangs.

"That's one of the big things the Conservative government did was cut all these youth centres that young people used to go to.