Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has said “something needs to be done” to tackle knife crime after the horrific Huntingdon train attack left eleven people in hospital over the weekend.
Speaking to GB News, the Conservative frontbencher described the incident as a “horrific attack that would have shocked and horrified the whole country,” praising the “extraordinary acts of heroism” shown by passengers and rail staff.
Mr Philp said: “Our thoughts obviously are with the families of the victims and the victims themselves.
“There were clearly some extraordinary acts of individual heroism by passengers and staff on the train, who acted to protect fellow passengers from what could have been an even worse atrocity.”
Chris Philp said that ‘something needs to be done’ after the train stabbing
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GB NEWS
He also praised the train driver for “thinking very quickly” and stopping at Huntingdon station rather than between stops, allowing police to intervene and taser the attacker.
He said: “I think what this does highlight is the problem our country faces with knife crime. There were something like 250 homicides murders enabled by knives last year.
“That is obviously far too high. And we need a much tougher approach to fighting knife crime in general.”
He added: “I think full airport-style security would probably be too much across the hundreds, or even thousands, of stations across the United Kingdom.
“There is some technology, though. Of course, if you have an X-ray machine, it won’t distinguish between a knife and a mobile phone, or keys, or a laptop. But when I was a minister in the Home Office, I funded work to develop scanners that could distinguish knives from other metal objects like keys or phones.
“That technology wasn’t quite developed enough to use on the streets a year and a half ago, but I’m hoping the new team in the Home Office have continued to fund it.
Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said five remain in treatment, including the LNER rail worker who tried to stop the attacker
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PA“If we could develop technology that scans people and can tell the difference between a knife and a mobile phone, it would be extremely valuable, not just in train stations, but also for police to use on the streets to identify people carrying knives.
“That technology needs investment. But we also need, to be honest, more stop and search because stop and search does take knives off the streets.
“Its use has declined a lot recently, particularly in London under Sadiq Khan.”
Police have arrested a 32-year-old man at Huntingdon station in connection with the attack, while another man initially held has been released with no further action.
Eleven people were taken to hospital following the incident.
Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said five remain in treatment, including the LNER rail worker who tried to stop the attacker.
Alexander told Times Radio this morning: “There are five people still in hospital, one of whom is the member of train crew… who this morning is in a critical but stable condition.
“Some of the other people who had been taken to hospital on Saturday night have now been discharged.”
A “surge” in police presence is expected at major train stations, including London, Birmingham, Leeds, York, and Manchester, at least until Tuesday.
A 35-year-old man, also arrested at the scene, has been released with no further action. Initial reports suggested he had been involved in the attack, but officers later confirmed this was not the case.