Evening Standard comment: A positive solution for lives blighted by gangs

This paper’s campaigns have addressed some of London’s most grievous social problems. None, however, has been as challenging as our latest endeavour, Frontline London, which aims to help tackle the scourge of gangs. We are promoting three new businesses run by former gang members: bringing them to the attention of our readers, awarding them grants from our Dispossessed Fund and appealing to business people to help mentor them. If the businesses succeed, this may lead to help for other start-ups run by former gang members. The initiative has as its partner the redoubtable Camila Batmanghelidjh of Kids Company.

This is one small step in addressing the apparently intractable problem of gang violence, which accounts for about a quarter of violent crime in London and which has blighted thousands of young lives. Politicians’ efforts to help tackle the problem, however admirable, are never going to succeed so well as offering gang members redemption through work — the chance of earning an honest living.

The projects we have chosen also tap into London’s huge entrepreneurial spirit and energy. The young men involved in the three businesses we are sponsoring — a removals firm, a youth drama company and an events planner — are from troubled, deprived backgrounds who fell into bad company and worse ways. This initiative is to do with people of whom most of us would normally either be oblivious or afraid. What we are asking our readers to do is to give them a chance, by considering them for jobs and projects.

The police, notably the Met’s Steve Rodhouse, who has responsibility for tackling gangs, are backing our campaign. If it succeeds, it could break the cycle of violence in a different way from simply removing gang members from the street and into prison. Indeed, as our interview today with Daniel Barnes makes clear, prison can, in some cases, harden young people and ready them for worse crime on their release. This is not to understate the excellent work the police do in dealing with gangs; it is to help with gang members’ rehabilitation.

Mr Barnes’s efforts have already had an effect on some from a similar background: individuals who are due for release from prison have been in touch with him asking for work. If these projects succeed, others may follow. This is not a naive endeavour. These former criminals have been rigorously screened and have had to prove their worth before getting sponsored by this paper. And there will be other gang members who have no wish to seek proper work. We are not asking for money: just that readers consider putting work or expertise in the way of these businesses. Even small steps in the right direction can make a remarkable difference.

The Government’s Help to Buy scheme, launched tomorrow, could have a significant impact on London’s housing market. It will enable would-be homebuyers to obtain a 95 per cent mortgage from participating banks. That will reduce the deposit needed for a purchase from an average of £64,000 to about £16,000 in London, which puts the prospect of home ownership within the reach of many more people. Moreover, the Government will be backing a further 15 per cent of the mortgage.

This is a hopeful initiative. There are risks: increasing the supply of credit without increasing the supply of houses risks pushing up prices to new highs. We need to build far more homes in London too if we are to avoid another housing bubble. But first-time buyers need all the help they can get — and this scheme should help some of them get on the property ladder.