Boris Johnson: We need to deglamorise knife crime

Gang members involved in knife crime should be seen as "moronic" rather than as glamorous figures like Shakespeare's Mercutio, Boris Johnson said today.

Giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee, Johnson said: "My heart sinks when I hear and read of some of the language used to describe some of the victims of knife crime by other members of gangs.

"This stuff about 'You were a good soldier' or 'Fallen soldier'; we do need as repeatedly as possible as a society to detonate the myth that there is anything romantic or glamorous about these tragic episodes."

He added: "We need to deglamorise knife crime and make clear to people that this is moronic and wasteful.

"This is not the death of Mercutio taking place on the streets of London."

Asked to explain the reference to Romeo and Juliet, Johnson, who is often fond of quoting from the classics, said: "It is a guy called Mercutio who is killed in a gang fight.

"It is worth studying the text because it does teach you something about the bogus atmosphere of glamour that can surround these gangs and the sort of romantic, sentimental feelings that can start to occur with knife crime and gang culture generally."

Johnson said figures respected by young people, such as Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand, should be recruited to "speak against the evils of carrying knives".