Lambeth is the Tops for Violent Crime

5.18.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 22nd Feb 2008

Lambeth has the highest murder rate in London

Lambeth's steady decline has brought with it another dubious honour - it now tops the list for violent crime and murder in London's Capital.

The latest figures released by the Metropolitan Police show that the majority of murders in London actually take place in Lambeth. Homicides in the borough leapt by a staggering 65% from 14 cases in 2006 to 23 during 2007.

Only the London Borough of Newham with 13 murders and neighbouring borough Southwark with 11 murders came close to Lambeth's horrendous score of violence. Unbelievably, nearly a sixth of all London murders took place here in Lambeth.

And in the wake of the latest Government initiatives to curb the use of replica guns it emerged that more real guns had been seized on Lambeth's mean streets than fake weapons. More than 30 of the deadly weapons were discovered by police last year alone.

How many extra lives have been saved by taking these out of circulation?

Detailed analysis of last year's figures showed that homicides varied in nature from armed robberies, domestic violence, stabbings, gang related incidents and youth murders.

But the four very tragic and high profile youth murders were the ones that really hit the national headlines and have caused greatest anxiety to parents everywhere. And, very sadly, the New Year had barely started when another brutal murder took place in the heart of Brixton market on 12th January 2008.

Lib Dem Leader, Cllr Ashley Lumsden, said "These official statistics are scary and a great cause for concern. The police can only do so much, however. There needs to be a much higher level of investment in our young people both to turn them away from seeing violence as a solution to problems and in engaging them positively."

Councillor Lumsden added, "Very sadly, years of chronic Labour underinvestment in youth facilities in Lambeth now requires urgent remedial attention if we are to avoid a rapid spiral of decline into lawlessness and misery for even more Lambeth families."