Idris Elba set to join forces with Sir Keir Starmer to tackle the ‘root causes’ of knife crime

HOLLYWOOD star Idris Elba will join forces with Sir Keir Starmer today to tackle the “root causes” of knife crime at a major summit.

The vocal campaigner will be part of a major push to stop youths getting pulled into violent gangs at the launch in Downing Street.

Families of young people affected by the knife crime scourge will team up with tech firms, sporting organisations and the police as part of a coalition.

Elba said: “We need to tackle the root causes of knife crime, not just the symptoms. The coalition is a positive step toward rehabilitating our communities from the inside out.”

Sir Keir and the Luther actor discussed the issue on the election campaign trail in June as Labour vowed to increase penalties for carrying a blade.

The PM vowed to draw on his legal career to help tackle the menace on our streets.

He said: “As director of public prosecutions, I saw first hand the devastating impact that knife crime has on young people and their families.

"This is a national crisis that we will tackle head on.

“We will take this moment to come together as a country - politicians, families of victims, young people themselves, community leaders and tech companies - to halve knife crime and take back our streets.”

Ministers have already taken steps to ban so-called ninja swords, and plan to strengthen the laws around the online sales of knives.

Commander Stephen Clayman, the national policing lead for knife crime, will lead a rapid review to understand how such weapons are sold online and then delivered to under 18s as well as closing loopholes in the law.