Steven Mace
04-25-2002, 08:51 PM
Blair: We'll crack gun culture
Apr 25 2002
By Shaun Connolly, Evening Mail
Tony Blair today made a passionate personal pledge to cut Birmingham's burgeoning gun culture after new figures have shown violent crime rocketing.
In an exclusive interview with the Evening Mail, the Prime Minister promised tough action in the wake of a spate of lethal shootings in the second city.
He conceded Labour would be judged on law and order and revealed a crackdown on the Brocock air cartridge revolver - the make most commonly transformed into a lethal weapon.
Mr Blair said: "The ease with which these weapons can be converted to use conventional bullets is totally unacceptable.
"We have been speaking to Brocock and they have indicated they will stop importing them. We will take further powers if it is necessary.
"Possession of weapons modified in this way already carries a maximum sentence of ten years, but we must do more to stop them being on the streets in the first place."
Mr Blair was speaking as latest figures revealed overall crime in the West Midlands rose by 1.9 per cent for the year to March 2002, with robberies rocketing by a whopping 17 per cent to almost 14,000 incidents last year.
Mr Blair, who insisted it was a "passionate personal belief" to drive down violent crime, conceded the Government would ultimately be judged on the issue by voters.
He added: "This Government banned hand guns. But we know there is a lot of illegal trade in this and it's done on an organised basis."
Mr Blair was visiting Birmingham and Dudley today ahead of May 2 local elections.
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=11818234&method=full
Steve Mace
Apr 25 2002
By Shaun Connolly, Evening Mail
Tony Blair today made a passionate personal pledge to cut Birmingham's burgeoning gun culture after new figures have shown violent crime rocketing.
In an exclusive interview with the Evening Mail, the Prime Minister promised tough action in the wake of a spate of lethal shootings in the second city.
He conceded Labour would be judged on law and order and revealed a crackdown on the Brocock air cartridge revolver - the make most commonly transformed into a lethal weapon.
Mr Blair said: "The ease with which these weapons can be converted to use conventional bullets is totally unacceptable.
"We have been speaking to Brocock and they have indicated they will stop importing them. We will take further powers if it is necessary.
"Possession of weapons modified in this way already carries a maximum sentence of ten years, but we must do more to stop them being on the streets in the first place."
Mr Blair was speaking as latest figures revealed overall crime in the West Midlands rose by 1.9 per cent for the year to March 2002, with robberies rocketing by a whopping 17 per cent to almost 14,000 incidents last year.
Mr Blair, who insisted it was a "passionate personal belief" to drive down violent crime, conceded the Government would ultimately be judged on the issue by voters.
He added: "This Government banned hand guns. But we know there is a lot of illegal trade in this and it's done on an organised basis."
Mr Blair was visiting Birmingham and Dudley today ahead of May 2 local elections.
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=11818234&method=full
Steve Mace