Sadiq Khan urged to be more vocal on knife crime

A Good Morning Britain weatherman on Wednesday (4) urged London mayor Sadiq Khan to be more vocal on the issue of knife crime.

Alex Beresford revealed on the show that his cousin Nathaniel Armstrong was just 29-years-old when he was brutally killed in South West London in March this year.

Speaking to the mayor, Beresford said that words can't describe what it's like to lose a loved one to knife crime.

"Nathaniel isn't the only person I know who has lost his life to knife crime.

"It cuts you so deep inside literally."

He added: "We have got young kids walking around with knives, carrying them out of fear.

"That's not an excuse for carrying a knife but it's a reason for it.

"Our communities are completely infested."

The knife crime death toll in the capital currently stands at 127, slightly below last year’s total of 139.

There has been a surge in knife crimes over the last one year. Police recorded 44,076 incidents involving knives or sharp instruments in England and Wales in the 12 months to June.

The weatherman added: "It feels like there does need to be more done particularly in London.

"I feel like you could be more vocal on the issue of knife crime.

"It's not just about saying all the right things, it's about doing the right things as well."

After listening to Beresford, Khan agreed that knife crime was the "one thing that keeps me up at night."

A spokesman for the mayor previously said: "Knife and violent crime is slowing in the capital, but Sadiq is absolutely clear that it remains unacceptably high - across the country - as a direct consequence of the crippling cuts the Government has made to the police and preventative services since 2010."