Sajid Javid has called an urgent meeting of police chiefs amid growing political pressure over the knife crime crisis. The Home Secretary was compelled to call for an end to the “senseless” violence on Sunday after two 17-year-olds were fatally stabbed in apparently random attacks.

Jodie Chesney, a Girl Scout, and scholarship pupil Yousef Makki, who wanted to be a heart surgeon, are the latest victims of an explosion of violence that has seen scores die in cities across the country, including three teenagers within a fortnight in Birmingham.

Sarah Jones, the Labour MP for Croydon Central and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on knife crime, demanded action from the Government, calling on Theresa May to convene Cobra and to set a six month target to bring knife crime down.

She accused the Prime Minister of being “invisible” during what had become a national crisis.

Mr Javid said: "Young people are being murdered across the country and it can't go on.