In today's Home Office Questions, Huw praised Arsenal's No More Red Campaign that seeks to focus on the causes of youth violence and provide safe spaces and opportunities for young people. 

Huw is a chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime and Violence Reduction having volunteered at Brixton youth centres. 

Huw Merriman, Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle: 

I welcome the work from the Home Secretary on reducing those numbers, but sadly last year saw the highest number of teenage murders in London since records began. Can I therefore commend the “No More Red” campaign set up by Arsenal football club, supported by Ian Wright and Idris Elba? As Ian Wright points out, and as I found out myself as a volunteer in a youth centre, they offer the chance to give people a better route in life, away from gangs and crime. Too many have closed in recent years. May I ask the Home Secretary what we can do to get charities to set more up?

Priti Patel MP, the Home Secretary:

It is not every day I can come to the Dispatch Box to celebrate and praise the Gooners, but in this case I take great pride in joining my hon. Friend. The “No More Red” campaign, which I have been following, is fantastic. My hon. Friend’s point speaks to the power of charities alongside the Government’s work, because they are the ones at the grassroots that can reach out to young people in constituencies and engage them so they do not get into the cycle of a life of crime.