PM: Violent crime curbs needed
Monday, 14 Jan 2008 06:19
The prime minister said he was worried about the impact violent video games had on society
Prime minister Gordon Brown has hinted that police officers will be instructed to take firmer action against those carrying guns or knives in public.
In an interview with the Sun newspaper, Mr Brown said law-enforcement officials would be given further powers beyond warning those carrying weapons.
He told the paper: "We have to send out a message and reinforce it with action. It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife or a gun. Where police have previously been cautioning people, there now has to be a presumption of prosecution."
The prime minister also said he was in favour of banning threatening knives and hoped for a system to be introduced whereby test shoppers would try and acquire arms to nab shopkeepers dealing in illegal weapons.
In the interview, the prime minister also said he was "very worried" about the impact violent video and computer games had on society.
While he stated that he was against censorship he urged the industry to be mindful of its "responsibility to society".
He told the paper: "You cannot be casual or cool about knives. Society cannot cope with people carrying guns and knives and threatening to use them. There are boundaries you cannot cross — and one is this country's zero tolerance on knives."
Mr Brown said people deserved to feel safe on the streets and reiterated that the ownership of weapons did not improve one's security.