Round-the-clock drug dealing is behind the surge in Britain’s teen killings, MPs warn – The Sun

BRITAIN’S round-the-clock “dial a dealer” drug culture is behind a surge in teen killings, MPs warn today.

The “thriving” market for Class A substances is leading to bloody turf wars and an “explosive” growth in gangs exploiting young people, the Home Affairs Select Committee says.

The UK has among the cheapest and easily available drugs in Europe, leading to record high deaths from overdoses and a “woefully inadequate” Government response.

And there has been a 45 per cent rise in young murder victims in the past year alone – branded a “social emergency” in the new report.

It will put Boris Johnson under more pressure to start getting his promised extra 20,000 police officers on the beat as soon as possible.

Committee chairman Yvette Cooper said: “Teenagers are dying on our streets, and yet our inquiry has found that the Government’s response to the rise in serious youth violence is completely inadequate.

"They just haven’t risen to the scale of the problem.

“Serious violence has got worse after a perfect storm of youth service cuts, police cuts, more children being excluded from school and a failure of statutory agencies to keep them safe.

"The Government has a responsibility to deal with this crisis urgently.”

Today’s report says all schools in violent areas should have dedicated police officers, and that teachers should stop so many pupils being excluded which puts them at greater risk of being drawn into crime.

It also calls for an “accountable leader” for tackling youth violence in every area who would report directly to the Prime Minister, and a new “youth service guarantee” of decent support projects.

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