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The impact of the rise in violent crime in towns and cities across England and Wales is devastating – with families grieving for their teenage children and communities gripped by anger and despair.

As well as the personal tragedy of violent crime that I’ve seen first-hand when I’ve met victims and their families, it is also deeply depressing on a political level – because this rise in crime could have been avoided.

The massive cuts that the Conservative Government have made over the past eight years to our police, education and other services that provide paths away from crime for young people have real consequences, and, I am afraid, we are witnessing them now on streets across our country.

This is not just a London problem: the statistics show huge increases in violent crime across the whole of England and Wales. This is a national problem, that requires national solutions, led by the Government. No part of our country can tackle this problem alone.

(Image: Getty Images North America)

Just think about an 18-year-old who has grown up under this Government. His parents have had less money to provide opportunities for him as he grew up because real wages have fallen and welfare support has been slashed.

The education maintenance allowance – which was a lifeline for poorer families – was scrapped when he was just 10.

Fewer after-school clubs and activities were available throughout his teenage years because school budgets have been hammered.

Youth centres and sports clubs have closed down as a result of cuts to councils so there has been nothing for him to do in the evenings or at weekends for years.

The Conservative Government has put a cap on his prospects and aspirations.

(Image: E+)

To make matters worse, if he goes go down the wrong path and falls into a life of crime then there are fewer police officers in communities to catch him and our prisons and rehabilitation services are in a continual state of crisis.

This in no way excuses criminality, anyone committing a criminal act should be caught and face the full force of the law. And of course there are other causes too, like the increasingly violent nature of criminal gangs and the growing use of drugs.

But it’s not rocket science – you can’t cut thousands of police officers and close services without it having an impact on crime.

This is now a national emergency – and it’s time for the new Home Secretary to act.

We desperately need a government that is both tough on violent crime and tough on the causes of violent crime.

This means more investment in our police services and more investment in preventative services, not after the next Spending Review and not in two years’ time but right now.