Watch the Sky interview about London’s crime rate that politicians would rather you didn’t see

Stafford Scott on Sunday with Niall Patterson
Chris Jarvis


Crime and policing have been in the headlines this week. Figures showed a spike in violent crime in London, with 50 murders taking place so far in 2018.

The government has been quick to respond, bringing legislation to parliament which will tighten controls on weapons. Likewise, Labour has come out strongly in condemning cuts to police numbers, which it believes has contributed to the rise in violent crime.

The state acts to “stereotype, stigmatise and criminalise” young people

But in a powerful interview on Sky’s Sunday with Niall Paterson, Tottenham based activist Stafford Scott slammed state action from both government and the police. Throughout the interview, Scott argued that decisions taken by the state are behind the crime spike.

Scott said:

The state is using every single agency that it has… to stereotype, stigmatise and criminalise these young people.

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He elsewhere argued that government policies have put further pressure on young people through this stigmatisation and stereotyping:

Today, this government is telling us that three youths can be a gang. I have two brothers. I come from a place called Tottenham. That means that these people today would define myself and my brothers as being members of a gang. Once you’re stereotyped as being a gang and stigmatised, you’re just pushed out onto the streets.

More police will cause more reaction

Scott’s criticism went further. He condemned claims that heavier policing will reduce violent crime. In two separate responses, he argued that higher police numbers, as Labour have been calling for, won’t solve the problem:

Myth busting and more

After the interview, Scott then took to Twitter, taking on those who responded to his comments and breaking down common misconceptions about violent crime.

First, he tackled the myth that violent crime is a product of single-parent households:

Then he went on to lay into Government cuts to services:

And he also reserved some criticism for the way the mainstream media has hosted the debate:

A refreshing voice

The public debate on violent crime has become stale, focusing on knee-jerk reactions and short term, short sighted ‘solutions’. Perhaps we’d get closer to tackling the underlying problems if voices like Stafford Scott’s were heard more often.

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Featured image via Twitter Screengrab.

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