SAJID Javid is locked in a war of words with police chiefs over Britain’s knife crime epidemic.

The Home Secretary denies leaving cops “hamstrung” in the fight against serious violence which has already seen 250 stab deaths this year.

Mr Javid hit back after Scotland Yard boss Cressida Dick claimed her efforts were being thwarted by complex government rules.

She said the Home Office had “stepped back a lot and needed to show greater leadership”.

A failure to fund more officers and allow them to use face recognition technology was making the Met’s job harder, she added.

But speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday — after five people were fatally stabbed in six days — Mr Javid suggested everyone must share the blame.

He said: “Young people are losing their lives.

"Parents and others will be absolutely devastated.

“They are looking for leadership, absolutely from government, but also from police, mayors and others.

“And that’s what they’re certainly going to get from the Government.

“First and foremost, I am ensuring police have all the powers they need.

"Carrying any type of knife is totally unacceptable and we have already made it illegal to sell, deliver or carry in public so-called zombie knives.

“Our Offensive Weapons Bill, currently going through Parliament, will mean that in future if a police officer spots one of these gruesome weapons in someone’s home, they will be able to confiscate them on the spot and arrest the owner.”

He added: “This summer I gave my full backing to The Sun on Sunday’s Beat the Blades campaign and following the tragic stabbings we have seen over the last week, the campaign’s message is more important than ever.”

Other action in the pipeline includes an independent review into the misuse of drugs, fuelling gang violence.

Mr Javid is also determined to protect kids caught up in “county lines” clashes.

Gang-related deaths have soared since the Met slashed searches from 700,000 in 2008 to 100,000 last year.

Mr Javid and Ms Dick visited Brixton, South London, to announce £17.7million for 29 projects to stop teens being drawn into crime.

The fund plans were set out in the Serious Violence Strategy, published in April.

Clarifying her earlier comments on technology, made to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Dick: “I said it would be really helpful if the Home Office were able to lead that more than they have done in the past.”

She added: “The public want us to be focused on violence.

"There is no disagreement between us about that.”