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Knifings and shootings up as murder rate soars

THERE has been a huge increase in being people shot, stabbed and even kicked to death since Labour came to power.

Shocking statistics released last night show a 14 per cent increase in murder and manslaughter in England and Wales between 1998 and 2007.

There was also a 28 per cent increase in deaths from bladed weapons. Those killed by shootings increased by the same figure.

Most shockingly, there was a 57 per cent increase in deaths caused by punching and kicking.

The figures, supplied in Parliamentary answers by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker, emerged just days after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed the Government was winning the battle against violent crime.

Last night the Conservatives said the statistics showed that she was wrong.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: “Despite the claims it is clear serious violent crime is spiralling out of control. Labour’s complacency makes them part of the problem, not the solution.

“We would put more police on our streets to catch and deter criminals, as well as ensuring adequate prison capacity so that offenders are properly punished.

“We would also combat the scourge of drugs and address the causes of family breakdown.”

Figures show 608 homicides in England and Wales in 1997-98, compared to 734 for 2006-07 – the latest year for which complete information is available.

The most common violent deaths last year  came from use of  sharp instruments – up from 201  in 1998-99 to 258 in 2006-07. Second was hitting or kicking, with 140 deaths.
But strangulation cases fell from 78 in 1998-99 to 54 in 2006-07 and there was decline in use of poison or drugs, from 47 to 25. Deaths from blunt instruments dropped from 65 to 41.

Women were far less likely to be murdered than men last year, with 547 male victims compared to 187 females. While women were more likely to be stabbed, strangled or burnt to death, men were twice as likely to be shot.

Separate figures out last week showed there were 9,967 gun-related crimes, a rise of 373 on 2006, although gun deaths fell from 56 to 49.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “We have made it clear that anyone who considers carrying a firearm or other offensive weapon will be subject to swift, severe punishment.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The British Crime Survey shows violent crime has fallen by a third over the past 10 years.

“Gun crime remains rare and we will continue to do whatever we can to keep weapons off our streets.”