'Raising aspirations' key to breaking drug dealers' grip on Yorkshire town, MP claims

Robbie Moore said “urgent action is absolutely needed” as drug-related crime and addiction have become serious issues in towns like Keighley, where violent gangs “openly challenge and take on one another” in the streets.

Speaking during a debate in Westminster Hall, the MP for Keighley and Ilkley said drug-related crime is being committed “in all parts” of the town, which means many people are now “afraid” to visit, and some local taxi firms have also become involved in the distribution of illict substances.

He then told MPs county lines gangs have been travelling from Keighley to rural areas of counties like North Yorkshire, where they coerce young people into selling drugs and “exploit hapless addicts” for profit.

“Innocent people can be drawn into these bad habits by gangs from a very young age and have their lives ruined by their involvement in this criminal activity,” he added.

“The members of these gangs are often the same people who are perpetrators involved in gang-related grooming and child sexual exploitation.”

The Tory MP also recalled an incident when a “heartbroken” father told him his 13-year-old son had come home from school, claiming he wanted to become a drug dealer.

“That gets to the bottom of this issue – it’s about raising aspirations for communities like mine,” he said.

“It’s so we are not only absolutely taking a hardline approach against drug dealing, and of course providing support that needs to go to those that get into this unfortunate situation of taking drugs, but we are also – alongside all of that – making sure that when we talk about levelling up, we are raising aspirations for our constituents and their young families.”

Mr Moore commended the Government’s ambitious 10-year drugs strategy, but said promises need to be delivered “as quickly as possible” so communities can see “tangible change”.

The Government announced almost £780m would be spent on “rebuilding the drug treatment system” and £300m for a crackdown on violent county lines gangs, when it published the strategy in December.

It comes after an independent review, conducted by Dame Carol Black, found the current system for treatment and recovery is “not fit for purpose, and urgently needs repair” and an extra £552m of investment is needed over five years.

The two-part review states that funding for treatment has been cut by 17 per cent since 2014 and there are now around 3m users in the UK while drug-related deaths have reached “the highest level since records began”.

Mr Moore said: “It is a dangerous dark crime that relies on the most evil in society exploiting the weakest in society, and I commend the Government for the work that they are doing.

“But I would just like to understand how we can make sure that the announcements that were made at the end of last year can be delivered as quickly as possible for communities like the one I represent, across Keighley and Ilkley.”

He also thanked Home Secretary Priti Patel, who visited Keighley earlier this month to discuss drug crime and county lines.