The “horror, danger and stupidity” of knife crime must stop, Jeremy Corbyn has said.

The Islington North MP was re-elected as an independent candidate earlier this month after he was barred from running for Labour.

Just a week after winning his race, 19-year-old Ahmed Habib was stabbed to death in his constituency, at the junction between Tollington Park and Stroud Green Road.

Mr Corbyn said that he has visited the family of the victim, and that it was “devastating to see a young man lose their life in these circumstances”.

He added: “You always just find this tragedy, sitting in somebody's house, looking at a photo of a bright, enthusiastic, ambitious young person whose life has been taken by the horror and danger and stupidity of knife crime.”

The MP, who has represented Islington North since 1983, said young people need to understand that carrying a knife is “not protection” and actually increases their risk of harm.

He said one way to tackle the problem is to provide more after-school activities for teenagers.

Mr Corbyn explained: “I’ve never forgotten a lengthy discussion I had with students at City of London Academy Highgate Hill about what they wanted.

“They just said they wanted somewhere safe to go after school, where they wouldn't be prey to drug dealers or threats. It’s not too much to ask.”

The independent MP named the housing crisis as another key issue for his constituents, and one he would be working to improve over the next Parliament.

He said: “I want to see something much more comprehensive about housing insecurity [from the government].

“That means not just prevention of no-fault eviction in the private rented sector, it means rent control in the private rented sector.

“Rents are absolutely unaffordable unless you're in a really well-paid job.”

The MP explained that as the typical rent level in Islington is above the local housing allowance, many have to subsidise their rent out of their Universal Credit.

He added: “We can't just have local housing allowance continue to be raised to chase private rented sector levels. We have to control the private rental level.”

This is why, Mr Corbyn said, housing would be the topic of the first of his People’s Assemblies, which he promised to hold for constituents if he were re-elected.

An exact date has not yet been set, but it is expected to take place sometime in September.