Dr Derrick Campbell, chairman of a group which advises the Home Office on gangs and gun crime, says politicians are ignoring gang violence and leaving "black youths to die".
His comments came after an August Bank Holiday weekend of murder on the streets of the West Midlands which left two people dead.
Strong statement
"We have to ask the question whether there seems to be an acceptance that if another black youth is killed they are just another one that we don't have to worry about," said Dr Campbell.
"Black youths within this country have been left to die. And that's a very strong statement but it's a statement that seems to be borne out through evidence," he added.
He said that questions now needed to be asked about why resources were not getting through from national government via local authorities to groups set up to turn young men away from a life of crime and violence in some inner city areas.
Furious Home Office Minister, Tony McNulty, rebutted the claims as the row spilled onto the sofas of national breakfast television.
Trust launched
"Frankly what Derrick says is an insult to black groups and other community groups up and down the country who are being funded by local and central government and work in this area on a daily and regular basis," he said.
"I do need to knock down the notion that somehow there is a national conspiracy of at best indifference, and at worst active policy, that says somehow the death of young black men on our streets doesn't matter."
Right on cue, Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, was on hand to attend the launch of the New Year Shooting Memorial Trust in Birmingham, in the wake of the row.
The trust, a victim support charity, was set up by Beverley Thomas and Marcia Shakespeare in memory of their daughters, Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare, who died after a drive-by shooting in 2003.
Leaflet warning
At the same time, the government launched a new booklet called: "Gangs: You and Your Child", aimed at giving parents tips on spotting whether their children may be becoming involved in gangs.
"All parents worry about keeping their children safe ¿ and need support to help them to do it," said the Home Secretary.
"They need to know how to spot if their child is involved in a gang and where to turn if they are concerned. We have worked with police, local authorities and parenting and community groups to make sure the booklet is a useful addition in the fight against violent crime," she added.
So can inner city gang violence be cured by giving cash for community groups as Dr Campbell wants?
Is the government's new leaflet an adequate response to the apparent rising tide of gang violence?
Also in the programme ...
Will the Liberal Democrats have any MPs left in the Midlands after the next General Election?
The good news, according to the respected website Electoral Calculus, is yes - they will.
The bad news is they will only have one - which is down from the four Westminster seats they currently hold.
According to Electoral Calculus, which bases its predictions on "scientific analysis of opinion polls and electoral geography", the Lib Dems will be saying farewell to Lorely Burt in Solihull, Martin Horwood in Cheltenham and relinquishing control in Hereford where Sarah Carr will fail to win in succession to Paul Keetch.
Target seats
Each seat would fall to the Conservatives in a region in which they have never really made the big gains they would like.
Locally the Lib Dems finished second in only 10 of the 63 seats up for grabs and in many of those it was a distant second so any hopes of progress are limited.
Nick Clegg taking to the stand
Their best chances appear to be in Ludlow - which the party is hoping to win back after Matthew Green lost to the Tories in 2005, and in West Worcestershire where they ran Sir Michael Spicer close last time out.
They also hope they can win in the newly re-drawn Birmingham Hall Green seat - where they currently hold eight out of the nine council wards which make up the constituency.
Conservative landslide?
Electoral Calculus is not forecasting any gains though.
Their current prediction has the number of Lib Dem MPs collapsing from 67 to 30 nationally in a Conservative landslide that would give David Cameron's party a whopping 172 seat majority.
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MPs should have access to a Government-built communal hotel. 
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