British Home Secretary Amber Rudd will vow on Monday to do "whatever it takes" to curb crime as she unveils a new multi-million pound response to a surge in violence in London and elsewhere. The new initiative, backed by £40 million (46 million euros, $56 million) in funding, aims to steer young people away from crime and tackle violent drug-dealing gangs, according to Britain's interior ministry.
It comes after a deadly start to 2018 in the British capital in which a spate of stabbings and shootings has left more than 50 people dead - pushing its murder rate higher than New York's in recent months. "As a government we will never stand by while acid is thrown or knives wielded," Rudd will say in a speech in London.
"I am clear that we must do whatever it takes to tackle this so that no parent has to bury their child. "A crucial part of our approach will be focusing on and investing more in prevention and early intervention." Rudd is set to announce the introduction within weeks of new laws targeting offensive weapons, including action to stop knives being sent to residential addresses after they are bought on the internet.