Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer visited a Sunderland charity on Valentine's Day to see the work being done to reduce crime and keep young people safe.
Sir Keir took the time to meet with staff and young people at the Foundation of Light charity at the city's Beacon of Light, on Monday, February 14, as part of the Labour party's 'Security Prosperity Respect' tour.
The Foundation of Light is the charitable arm of Sunderland AFC, based Beacon of Light, a community and education facility that provides a space for sport, events, education and wellbeing for all ages and backgrounds.
Go here for more Sunderland news and updates from Sunderland Live
During his visit, the Labour leader spoke to Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness about the work taking place to provide security for young people and the communities she represents.
Ms McGuinness has introduced new Youth Navigators to work directly with young people and their families to address the root cause that led them to commit crime.
The cost of youth violence is a key issue for Starmer, who as Director of Public Prosecutions saw first-hand the importance of preventative services and early intervention in cutting offending.
It comes as a Labour analysis of Government figures says that the cost of violent youth crime in England since the Conservatives took office in 2010 is £11bn.
Labour says that the number of violent offences committed by young people is estimated to have risen to over 70,000 in 2020/21, over 20,000 more and 40% greater than the most recent year of Labour government in 2010.
Sir Keir said: "The Tories are creating a perfect storm of failing communities that don’t feel safe, failing to tackle violent crime, and failing to provide the ambition and opportunities young people need to make positive choices.
“When Labour is in power we are showing that with the right approach and investment, we can prevent crime, ensure people feel safe and secure where they live, and save taxpayer money."
Ms McGuinness welcomed Sir Keir's visit to Sunderland and said praised the work of the Foundation of Light.
“Levelling up isn’t about investing in shiny buildings – it’s about investing in people, giving them opportunities and a future to look towards," she said.
"We have to address the real issues facing our young people – deprivation, poverty, and other factors that increases their risk of falling into crime.
"As shown today, the work the Foundation of Light do alongside my Violence Reduction Unit & Northumbria Police is exactly what young people want and need – a safe space where they can learn and develop life skills, engage with dedicated mentors and be steered away from crime related influences.
"Unfortunately, though, we’ve seen our youth sector decimated by a Government more interested in cutting services rather than investing in them.
"What we need to do is clear, invest in our youth sector and allow us to fight poverty to fight crime.”
During his time at the Beacon Centre, Sir Keir spoke to youngsters on the Foundation of Light's YOLO programme, which provides targeted youth work, engagement and one-to-one mentoring for children aged eight to 16.
The programme uses positive intervention with the aim to keep children away from a life of crime.
The Labour leader spent time with the young people in the Beacon of Light's kitchen and engineering zones which are used by those on the YOLO programme, as well adults gaining experience and skills to prepare them for work.
The Foundation of Light's football scholars also chatted to Sir Keir about their development on and off the field.
Sophie Ashcroft, head of marketing and communications at the Foundation of Light, was delighted that Sir Keir took the time to visit the centre and learn about its vital work.
"He was really impressed with the children and interested in their stories and what they were doing," she said.
"He was chatting to them when they were cooking and in the engineering zone in particular.
"He was great and very personable. We were absolutely delighted to welcome him."
Sir Keir's trip to Sunderland comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's false claim earlier this month that he failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile while he was director of public prosecutions.
Although Sir Keir was head of the Crown Prosecution Service in 2009 when a decision was taken not to prosecute Savile, he had no personal involvement in the deliberations.
Police launched an investigation into online death threats against the Labour leader in the wake of the PM’s jibe in the House of Commons.
Speaking on Monday, Sir Keir confirmed he had received death threats following Mr Johnson’s comments.
Sir Keir said: “Yes. I do not like talking about this because I have got young children.”
The Labour leader said the Prime Minister’s slur had “fed into” a “right-wing conspiracy theory”, and this had caused “difficulty”.
He told BBC Radio Newcastle: “It’s very important for me to say that what the Prime Minister said was wrong, it was very wrong.
"He knew exactly what he was doing.
“There has been a right-wing conspiracy theory for some time that’s a complete fabrication.
“He fed into that, and that has caused difficulty, but my preference, if I may, is not to talk about that because, as I say, I have got young children and I don’t particularly want them to hear too much of what may or may not be said about me.”
Last Monday, Sir Keir and MP David Lammy, who were walking back from the Ministry of Defence after a briefing on the situation in Ukraine, had to be escorted away from demonstrators by police.
Mr Johnson tweeted last Monday evening that the “behaviour directed” at the Labour leader was “absolutely disgraceful”.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “On Friday, February 11, police received a third party report relating to allegations of malicious communications made against a serving Member of Parliament.
“An investigation is ongoing.”
No arrests have yet been made.
