Henry Nowak's murder shows we need to end religious exemptions for knife laws, ex-deputy Labour leader says

The religious and cultural exemptions to knife laws should end, Labour's former deputy leader has said.

Henry Nowak was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who was jailed this week, with a ceremonial Pesh Kabz, a 21cm Indo-Persian dagger previously used in battles to pierce through armour.

Digwa claimed he carried the murder weapon for religious reasons. He was also carrying a kirpan, the small knife not usually more than six inches long, including the handle, that is more commonly carried by Sikh men.

Harriet Harman, former deputy leader of the Labour Party, told Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast it should no longer be lawful to carry knives for cultural or religious reasons.

"One of the issues on knife crime is whether it counts as lawful grounds to carry a weapon because you are a Sikh or it is a ceremonial knife," she said.

"Now, the knife that was used to stab Henry was not a Sikh ceremonial knife, but there is a tradition of allowing Sikh knives to be kept as part of cultural and religious tradition - same as there's an allowance of, in Scotland, the dirk, the dagger that's in the top of men's socks.

"These are currently a lawful reason to carry a knife.

"If you were a chef carrying your knife to work or something like that, there's a recognition in the law that this is not carrying an offensive weapon.

"But actually, I don't think that religious or customary grounds for carrying bladed weapons should be acceptable anymore."

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Under Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, carrying a knife for work, as part of national costume or for religious reasons are potential lawful defences.

Mark Nowak, Henry's father, told reporters outside Southampton Crown Court this week: "People should not be able to walk openly through the streets of Britain carrying a 21cm blade."

Baroness Harman, who was recently appointed as the prime minister's adviser on women and girls, said Sikh and Scottish women do not carry blades as part of traditional dress.

"I think men carrying weapons, I don't think we should be allowing this anymore," she added.

"I think if it's a work reason or something like that, that's acceptable.

"But I think we should move beyond the idea of male violence being recognised as an appropriate customary thing for them to be allowed to carry bladed weapons. I think all of that should go."

(c) Sky News 2026: Henry Nowak's murder shows we need to end religious exemptions for knife laws, ex-de