That should be stating the obvious but in Gordon Brown, Britain has a Prime Minister who is unable to perform the task.

He has been in reactive rather than pro-active mode over the devastating escalation in knife crime which has left
so many communities living in fear.

His words on the subject have been late and scant. His suggested remedies have not withstood even preliminary scrutiny.

On Sunday, the Government’s proposed gimmick was sending knife thugs into hospitals to learn more about the wounds they have inflicted. As soon as critics began asking basic questions – Who would supervise these visits?

Could hard-pressed doctors really spare the time to lecture young thugs?

How would patients recovering from stab wounds react to having unrepentant knifers in their midst? – it became clear that the idea was a non-runner.