Idris Elba Shares New Single Knives Down Alongside Campaign For Ban On Machetes And Zombie Knives

Idris Elba has shared a new single urging the government to immediately ban machetes and knives.

Produced by Fraser T Smith and FaNaTiX, Knives Down features rapper DB Maz. It arrives as part of the launch of the actor and musician's new campaign, Don't Stop Your Future, calling for urgent government action on knife crime, and youth services funding.

The hard-hitting rap track comes with an equally powerful MD Films-directed video that features the Luther and The Wire star venting his frustration and anger at political leaders in the House of Commons, interspersed with footage of victims' families.

Speaking at the launch of the new campaign at an installation in Parliament Square, central London, which displayed neatly folded outfits symbolising all the lives lost to knife violence on UK streets in 2023, Elba commented:

"I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes. As school returns, too many young people will not be joining their classmates and too many grieving families have lost a young person they love in recent years. Young people are our future, their potential deserves to be met, not taken away by violence.

"Parliament has repeatedly not given this issue the focus it deserves, and our political leaders need to prioritize it now. As well as an immediate ban on zombie knives and machetes, we need to give young people more of a reason not to carry a weapon in the first place. That means investing in the services that address the root causes of violent crime."

In August 2023, the Home Office said tougher measures on machetes and zombie-style knives will be introduced. An official spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters at the campaign launch: "It’s important the public understand that knife crime is down 7%, hospital admissions for stabbings are down by nearly a quarter.

"But, still, we know knife crime devastates lives. We do want to do more. It’s welcome that Idris Elba and others continue to shine a light on this important issue. Obviously we have acted to ban knives already. I think what we have seen is criminals and gangs adapting to some of these changes and that’s why we do think it is right to go further."

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