Wait a minute! This news item cannot possibly be true. After all, gun control laws will eliminate such tragic events.

Yeah, right!

Nobody believes the NRA members who tell the world that when gun possession is criminalized, only criminals will have guns. Could it be that the NRA is right!

maia, Anderson,

The thing is, we've not been allowed to use a gun for self defence in the UK for decades (unless you're a VIP/MP etc, but that's another debate), not since the British Government disarmed it's people after WW1 fearing an uprising similar to those in Europe and Russia. The handgun ban had NO effect on 'gun crime', legal ownership of firearms in the UK has never had any relation to crime levels, gun crime has risen for other reasons. The act could be repealed tomorrow and there would be no change to the crime rate at all. A gun is just an object, it's not just an instrument of death and many thousands of people have used them for peaceful (apart from the noise) purposes in this country for hundreds of years. If you look at the crime figures, more than 5 times as many people were beaten to death as were killed by a gun in this country, which should tell us more about the mentality of the people who live in this country.

Rob Pollock, Darlington, Co. Durham

In my city recently, a drug dealer was shot through the forehead at the wheel of a car in a surburban street at 9pm at night with a lot of other traffic on the road. I don't need to know about statistics to know that gun crime is a massive problem and completely out of control.

Judy , Liverpool, england

Aly - In one single statement you have summed up what is entirely assinine about the U.K. goverment's policies and the sheeplike nature of British subjects to follow the piper passively:

"No one has the right in UK law to shoot someone for their own protection, "

WHAT??? The logical conclusion is that by agreeing to tolerate this law, you agree with the state's judgement that the life of the criminal is more important than the life of the victim. That no one has the right to self defense - which means that you do not have the right to life unless the State grants it to you. That's slavery! Insane!

No wonder Britain is a screwed up country. A country which does not value the lives of law abiding citizens more than the criminal's is a country that is bound for failure. It is an outrageous law and an affront to all humanity.

Does not one have the right to be secure in their person?

Have you folks ever heard of John Locke??!!

Thank God I don't live in such a country!

Steven, Nashville, TN, USA

I completely disagree with parts of your premise and certainly your conclusion. I disagree with the presumption tacit in your statement that "the only purpose of a gun is to inflict harm" meaning that the infliction of any and all harm is wrong. It's not. A gun, be it a shotgun, rifle or handgun clearly has its specific use such as for hunting, for protecting livestock from predators, and for self defense respectively . All of these are natural and justifiable reasons for possessing a "gun" and the measure of "harm" inflicted by their use is certainly justifiable.

Secondly, in my opinion every adult has the inalienable right to posses a handgun - for defensive purposes. Period. Otherwise the state has stripped you of a fundamental right to life if you are faced w/ someone who intends to cause you great bodily harm or death. Furthermore, every adult has the Inalienable and Natural Right to shoot to kill in self defense.

The judisiciary in Whiting's case simply got it wrong.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

Uncle Mex from Glasgow says:

The various hand gun bans that have been passed over the years have had very little effect one way or another because the figures are so small in the first place.

Uncle Mex is talking pure pish !

The Firearms Ammendment Act 1997 is the legislation Uncle Max is refering to in relation to 'various hand gun bans'.

Uncle Mex? Hello !!!! It has not had little effect at all ! Armed crime with handguns is up four fold. Teenagers are getting slotted at an alarming rate. On the contrary :It has had a major effect. OPPOSITE TO THE ONE INTENDED !!!

BTW Uncle Mex: Handguns aren't totally banned in the UK. Collectors may collect live, fully functioning handguns under Section 7 of the '97 ACT and Deer Stalkers are allowed handguns for humane dispatch of wounded deer. There are no prohibitions on black powder handguns whatsoever. They are Section 1 FAC items.

Steyr660, Glasgow,

Aly,

Furthermore, the real reason for gun crime is not the availablity of guns. How could it be? If that were the case, then the US, which is awash with handguns, would be constant bloodbath with horrendus crime numbers. Statistics say this in not the case. Gun crime in the U.S. is not "endimic."

To suggest that guns somehow cause gun crime overlooks the much more obvious factor: it is the criminal who commits crime. Yes, that's right, criminals (aka bad people) are the reasons crimes are committed. Though a criminal might use a gun in the commission of their particular crime, it is not the gun which causes the criminal to commit the crime. That is solely a determination made by the anti-social criminal mind. To suggest that a gun causes crime is to ascribe to the gun some anthropmorphic attributes which an inantimate object certainly can't possess. Guns are not patently or inherently evil. They are simply tools to be employed like any other fit for a specific purpose.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

I disagree that legalising guns is a step towards a more 'polite society'. Looking at USA there is a system where children walk through metal detectors in order to make classrooms safe, and gun crime is endemic.

In the UK there is no real 'gun problem', there are guns, there are killings- but this does not affect the daily lives of the general population and proposing to increase guns in circulation will only mean the illegitimate market will be flooded with guns getting in the wrong hands.

The only purpose of a gun is to inflict harm... people should have the right to protect themselves but this needs to be balanced agains the right to be free from existing in a society where anyone can walk into a shop and buy a lethal weapon.
No one has the right in UK law to shoot someone for their own protection, as confirmed by the jusiciary in Roy Whiting's case.

Society needs to target the reaons for gun crime, not escalate it by even giving guns credence as a necessary evil!

Aly, shef,

What a wonderful example of the law of unintended consequences - a true test case for the rest of the world to watch as Britain turns into the quintessential Nanny State, one that is scared of its own shadow and its own homegrown teenage yobs and hoodies.

As the British goverment does all it can to disarm its citizens to make them more vulnerable to crime, will its actions reduce crime or not? Care to wager?

As a betting man, I'll wager that putting more operable guns into the hands of law abiding citizens and allowing those citizens to carry concealed weapons would eventually cause a decrease in crime as perps are eliminated one-by-one. Sure there would probably be an initial surge in gun related violence, but that would be just a transient and not a long term result. My bet is that perps would soon think twice if the possibility exists that their intended target may be armed.

As many communities in the States have learned, an armed society is indeed a polite society.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

"Limits upon gun ownership DO work. 58 murders with guns per year in the UK can be contrasted with Washington DC; with less than one million inhabitants there are over 400 murders per year. The right wingers in the US who shout about the right to bear arms might also consider that statistics show that in shootouts between criminals and householders the householders generally lose."

Actually no they dont work, people in Washington are still being killed by criminals with illegal handguns despite a handgun ban. By contrast in states that allow the carryage of handguns for personal protection have had a decrease in violent crime. Kinda hard to rob/rape/kill someone when you got a gun in your face I guess.

But I guess places like the UK and Canada dont value the lives of its citizens enough to not arrest us for carrying a weapon for defense.

Brian T, Ontario, Canada

We Americans learned a long time ago, that bad people exist, that bad governments can evolve, and that without the populace being armed you can all be herded off to the gas chambers, circa WWII. Remember Belsen? Buchenwald? That is an extreme case, but we also remember the Revolutionary War, where the American peasants, armed with hunting rifles were victorious, and established a democracy.
A small town in Nebraska, passed an ordinance that required every home to posses a firearm. Major crime, burglary, home invasion, robbery, etc., has ceased. Without an advantage the bad guys simply don't want to take a chance.
The liberal news media hardly ever shows the lives saved, robberies foiled, etc., etc., by citizens who legally own a firearm.
This happens on a regular basis.
If you're going to give the bad guys the upper hand you can expect to suffer the consequenses.
The stats on Australia's gun problems should comvince anyone.

Stan Hadden, Riverdale, USA

As a former gun owner, who was forced by the fascist state in which we now live , to give up my hobby. It never ceases to amaze me how gun crime is on the increase. All the guns have been taken away from those of us who were law abiding, so now, only criminals have guns. The punishments for murder and the use of firearms, are no more than a joke, therefore the deterrent does not exist and gun crime flourishes. The use of guns by legal users was criminalised by the government and the use of guns by criminals, was sensationalized by the media. Kids are brought up with no morals, no fear of punishment and no role models, what do we expect. Whatever happened to "Tough on crime" and "tough on the causes of crime". We have reached a precipice in society, over which I fear we will surely plunge and it will be a precipice of our own making...

Ian, Exmouth, Devon

Limits upon gun ownership DO work. 58 murders with guns per year in the UK can be contrasted with Washington DC; with less than one million inhabitants there are over 400 murders per year. The right wingers in the US who shout about the right to bear arms might also consider that statistics show that in shootouts between criminals and householders the householders generally lose.

Ian, Frederick, USA MD

I find it absolutely stunning that there is gun crime in the UK. Afterall, guns are banned there, are they not? Has someone failed to inform the criminals of this? Afterall, the good, law-abiding people don't have guns anymore. If only the law breakers would just follow the law, everything would be just peachy.
At least it must be better than across the pond: Where there are over 100 million LEGALLY owned guns (including *gasp* handguns). With that many guns, you would figure that everybody would be dead over there by now.
I guess the criminals need to be a bit more careful on who they try to criminalize.
Go figure.

Thomas P Hoolery, York,

What the British should be worried about here is their lack of freedom to own guns. That's what causes gun crime... because criminals don't obey laws.

Chris, St. Petersburg, USA

"When air guns are included..." Why not include knives, too.
The report is on CRIME, guns have nothing to do with it.
Every citizen should be armed if they so desire...it's a basic freedom that England seems to have given away.

Jack Belk, Remote , Idaho, USA

Brits might consider reading the book, "More Guns, Less Crime" by John Lott. Therein he clearly explains through crimes statistics and public record, how legitimate gun ownership by private citizens dramatically reduces violent crime. Liberals in his country thoroughly trashed the book (and the author), but they couldn't dispute his findings.

Ideally, when punishing some social hemorrhoid, you take things away from them to include their freedom. You don't take things away from law-abiding people, things like guns, but laws to that effect are common among those infected with "feel good" politics. These paternalistic politicos care only for themselves and how they feel, not for the responsible citizen so they completely corrupt the "reward/punishment" concept.

Street predators are vicious and devoid of mercy. As soon as a responsible population votes for the sober (and adult) politicians that undestand that simple truth, the safer said population will be.

Brian, Auburn Hills, USA

There can't be any gun crime in the UK--after all, guns have been banned!
Thank God we in the US have the right to bear arms written into our country's founding document.

Frank Moss, Jr, Greenbrier, Tennessee, USA

Here in Pennsylvania, in the states, I along with a large number of my fellow citizens have permits to carry a concealed firearm. Cowardly criminals will NOT prey on people if they even think that there is a chance they will end up shot. The criminals will always have access to illegal weapons, so why should not the law abiding citizen be allowed to protect themselves?

Steve, West Newton, Pennsylvania

I thought you Brits could not own guns? That idyllic society that your leaders crave,and force on you.Not violent like us ugly Americans.As you see,only the law abiding citizenry turn in their weapons.The criminals will always keep theirs.WAKE UP.STOP BEING SHEEP.Laws never work.They only keep the honest people honest.Come to America,we have more than enough guns for everyone

Big Artie, Genoa, Illinois/USA

Driving dangerously can kill, should we ban cars?

Banning guns is certainly a good solution, but I'm a bit worried: will the criminals come forward and hand over their firearms as well? if they do that should be the end of the problem, that's obviously what our clever government is aiming at... still I'm worried about the knives.... shall we have to hand over our kitchen knives soon?
We'll still be left with the driving casualties issue though, I must stop worrying 'cause our clever government will come with a solution here I feel.

eve, Woking, south of Old England

10 people die everyday, day in day out, of the year from road traffic collisions.
The media don't report traffic fatalities, unless several people die in one incident.
The news media don't seem to be able to get any 'mileage' out of boring old traffic accidents.
The standards of driving is abysmal compared to 25 years ago.
So poor in fact, as to be criminally negligent.

As to the Firearms Acts of 1988 (Hungerford), the two Acts of 1997 (Dunblane). They were just another 'show' that the government was 'seen' to be doing something. But had nothing to do with actual fact.

Laws are for the law abiding citizen. Criminals ignore the law; that is why they are criminals.

Curiously though, the UK is in the top 5 arms manufacturers in the world. If you are some low-life tin-pot dictator of another country, come see the UK Arms Industry, we have everything for your needs.

"No Licence Required!
A weapon for every occasion!"
"Bulk Discounts Available!"
"Buy 5 get 1 Free!"

Phillip Jesson, Melton Mowbray,

The solution to the gun crime problem in the UK is so simple, Just make the carrying of a firearm (used or not) punishable by a mandatory 10 year prison sentence, once a couple of dozen have been processed and left with ten years to reflect on their folly, how quick the word will get around…

Stephen, leicester, UK

Gun crime, Knife crime and mugging have all increased over the last 45 years, in fact the very word mugging did not exist in the UK. Over the same period we have seen wholesale levels of immigration. It could be possible that the two are connected and are a negative aspect of the multicultural enrichment that we are told we should be so grateful for.

M Young, London, UK

Unfortunately everyone has missed the point due to being mis-directed by the government. The media in general has turned a blind eye and followed the government lead.

Both "firearms incidents" Hungerford and Dunblane were the direct result of the Police failing to enforce the laws of the land correctly. This may have been due to bad police policy or bad government policy or both.

At the end of the day only innocent law abiding were affected by the changes in the firearms law. Not one criminal has handed in their guns so the country is not safer by the changes in the law.

The problem is that guns and knives dont kill people.
People kill People and they will use any means available.

The only cure is to try to educate the parts of the community who insist on using violence as a means of communication.

Steve Rudgley, chelmsford , essex

"Uncle Mex" said: "The various hand gun bans that have been passed over the years have had very little effect... because the figures are so small in the first place."

WRONG! The various gun bans have had very little effect because legal, licensed gun owners are amongst the most law-abiding people in society!

The British people had their right to self defence taken from them by venal politicians who enjoy round-the-clock armed police guard! Unfortunately the police have shirked their responsibility for keeping the people safe from crime, and politicians, with Chief Police Officers that are beholden to them, have misdirected the police into spending more time in the office than they do out in the communities. The situation is worsened by courts that have forgotten that they have a duty to keep the public safe from offenders as well as rehabilitate the criminal.

Are we really surprised that good people have lost faith in the law and criminals do not fear the law?

Rob Morton, Derby, UK,

You must realize that the UK & the USA are both basically free countries .
The British people want a gun ban & the American people do not .
Its really the people who have made that decision .Not the government .
Part of the rise in gun crime is the result of other cultures moving into Britain.
In the US i like to have a gun in my home for protection ,In fact several of them .
In the UK i do not feel it a neccessity.
Brian.

brian lee, medina , USA Ohio

The cost of freedom can be high ... the US could (and probably will) become the police state that the UK has become. Fear is used by government to take civil liberties from the people. A statement that holds true in any country was voiced by those trying to come up with a constitution in the US in the mid 1700's:
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Brad, duluth, United States

I cannot quite believe the amount of tripe being written in the comments on this story. As the article helps illustrate, the level of gun crime is miniscule in Britain. The various hand gun bans that have been passed over the years have had very little effect one way or another because the figures are so small in the first place.

There is no real gun culture in Britain, and no underlying pent up demand to relax the firearms laws from the vast majority of the populace - and there never has been. Americans have a different perspective on these things based on their own culture and history, therefore the laws in their own country reflect that. I have no problem respecting that, it is their democratic choice. On this side of the pond, please be left in no doubt that we, too, have made our democratic choice.

Uncle Mex, Glasgow, Scotland

"One reason for these increases may be that youngsters in particular carry iPods and similar gadgets on the streets."

Ummm...anyone else think this is outrageous thinking? This is squarely putting the rise of crime on the innocent. Why should the innocent be the one to alter his/her way of life? Why not give the innnocent a chance to defend himself?

A gun in the hand is a hell of a lot better than a police officer on the phone.

Eric Jacobson, Austin, Texas

Ken, We only stole the first 13 states! You managed the other37 yourselves. One of the gripe that your ancestors had with the Government at the time was that they were preventing settlement west of the treaty line. The colonists wanted to move west and be protected by the troops when the infuriated natives fought back. The "over taxation" that precipitated the Revolution was introduced to help pay for the earlier war against the French and their native Allies. The taxes have been estimated to have added sixpence to each colonist tax bill. Not only did those time show that the Colonists were adept at running away in battle, but also parsimonious as well.

John, London,

Chris in Worthing - you don't know your history very well, do you?
Seems as though you Brits were the ones, along with the Dutch & French & very early on the Spaniards who, ". . . stole their country from the natives with guns. . ." So, do you have that part down, Chris?

Now, for the kicker. It was when the Monarchy of the "Mother Country" grew so oppressive as to make the colonists slaves in their new country - remember they were still Englismen to the core - that guns were picked up in the name of freedom. It was the Brits that got their head handed to them by the colonists with the help of the French, who also had guns. That is why we "love" our guns. We don't ever want to have a government that grows so powerful that we once again become slaves.

I'm retired military, 20 years in the submarine force & now 72 years of age. I'm also a concealed carry permit holder. Have never pulled it out of the holster & pray that I never have to. But, if needed to protect self & family,will.

Ken Caye, Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA

The right to bear arms is a natural born right of free men, not something that some government can decide to grant or not to grant. Free men are armed, slaves are not. Apparently the UK government does not want the populace armed. One can only conclude from this that the UK government considers the populace as slaves, not free men. Unfortunately, there are many leftists in our government here in the U.S. that are similarly braindead on this matter.

Mike S., Sugar Land, TX

A calculation worth making is how many victims of gun crime would have been protected if guns weren't banned against how many spontaneous crimes of passion/anger might happen? How many times do we hear stories across the pond of people just flipping out, grabbing a gun and shooting their cheating wife/workmates/anyone in sight/themselves? At the moment over here, if people have a breakdown like that they tend to lash out in a much less lethal way. I've heard of guys walking into the street with knives or "collectors item" swords and raging at the world. Most of the time nobody gets hurt because they are not in a fit state to physically run after someone and cause harm. But introduce a gun into the equation and what do you get?
The gun question here is vastly different to the US. They stole their country from the natives with guns, it's part of their identity and guns have always been there, so banning them now would be pointless. But arguing that the ban here has failed is wrong

chris, worthing, england

As was stated at the time of the pistol ban, taking guns of law abiding sportsmen and women would do nothing to solve gun crime. my husband is a keen rifle shooter and also shoots clay pigeon, the guns as i write this are locked away in our gun cabinet the ammunition is locked away seperatly. Are they doing any harm, NO!!! it takes someone to load a gun and shoot it to hurt or kill, the gun can't do it itself. too much emphasis these days is placed on the 'cool' culture of carrying a gun. I'd like to see the figures for people shot using a LEGAL, REGISTERED FIREARM and i bet its virtually nil aside from accidents. how can the police have no idea where the guns come from? gun crime worries me, even as the wife of shooter who is legal. i know its a cliche used before but its right, OUTLAW HANDGUNS AND ONLY OUTLAWS WILL HAVE THEM. time and time again, this has been proved right.

Sarah Walmsley, Oldham, Greater manchester, England

Clearly there is no reason for the average person to fear gun crime. It occurs in specific communities and involves specific types of people. These are not the vast majority of law abiding citizens going about their daily buisness. When it does stray into this latter group it achieves a level of coverage in the media bordering on hysteria - out of proportion to its significance. Many terrible crimes are committed every day, not many of them involving firearms. We should focus on the types of criminality affecting the silent, decent majority. The needs of this group in terms of law and order are currently relegated to second place behind high profile gun crimes which attract attention far beyond their significance.

Gordon YOUNG, Chelmsford, UK

Ten years ago Blair banned all handguns Straw said handgun crime stopped at a stroke . now hand guns are cheaper illegally than those purchased prior to Dunblane .

Ron Sealey , Croydon , England

Here's an article about how gun crimes are surging.

At the bottom, they have a section on what the government is doing about it.

"Later this year the Government will ban the sale, manufacture and importation of realistic imitation firearms."

BRILLIANT!!!

People are getting killed with real guns, so we'll ban fake guns.

What is the matter with you people?

N, New York City, New York

Speaking of creative accounting, I can't believe how many Brits keep falling for the old gun-banners' trick of statistical misdirection: "Since we have banned guns, gun deaths have gone down."

As if people who died of gunshot are any more pitiable than people who died from any other weapon or from brute strength alone, because a gun ban gave criminals the reassurance that potential victims were now defenseless and emboldened them to commit more violent crimes.

When you look only at "gun crime" you are pulling blinders over your eyes. Look at all interpersonal violent crime, and you will see where your gun ban has left you. Just reducing "gun crime" is a misdirected goal.

Henry Bowman, Phoenix, Arizona

For Neil
The reason that knifes are more popular than guns has little to do with bans or the lengthy bureaucratic procedure one must undergo to obtain a gun legally – impossible in the case of handguns. By definition, the criminal does not obey the law, so is not going to be put off by any legal restrictions upon the tools of his trade. Also, it’s far quicker and much cheaper to obtain an illegal gun. Rather than filling out endless forms, background searches, police interviews and so on, all one has to do is hang around the ‘right’ pub or club and part with a couple of hundred pounds.

A knife is a weapon of stealth, it is silent, makes no flash and so attracts little attention. It is also easier to conceal about the person. Easier to dispose of and unlike a gun, almost impossible to trace. If stopped by police, a plausible excuse can be concocted as to why you are carrying one. Lastly, a knife is simple and easy to use and requires no training or skill to use.

Steve Fox, London,

Yes, people want to kill people, and they will do it through any means available to them. This does unfortunately mean almost everything with the competency of our government and our neutered police force. People seem shocked that gun crime has risen despite a crack down and the introduction of a pistol ban, but, considering a rise in violent crime, people are taking more extreme measures to protect their interests. Drawing a knife these days would only serve to put you on even terms with an opponent a significant percentage of the time, so naturally, people aim a step higher.

The solution is to rid our society of violent criminals, I myself have never been tempted to hurt anyone, and hold no sympathy for those who have, despite what circumstances they they have failed to drag themselves out of. The "softly softly" approach was a quaint idea but it has blatantly failed. Let's toughen up. "Evil prevails when good men fail to act."

Drew, leeds, UK

People act like the prohibition of hand guns is a big deal. You can still buy a shot gun.

Legalize drugs, like the prohibition of alcohol in the USA organized criminals will only provide a product that people want which fuels gun crime.

Karl, Bristol, UK

What nonsense this argument that banning handguns has increased crime - gun deaths have fallen since handguns were banned. Where gun crime has increased is in the use of legal firearms like imitation weapons.

As the article said - you are four times more likely to die from knife crime as gun crime. I wonder why that is? Oh yes, knives are legal and easily available, handguns are not. It is far easier to kill someone with a handgun that a knife. Yet the knife is the weapon of choice because it is legal. If handguns were made legal again we would see massive rises in gun deaths - we only have to see what has happened in the US where 30,000 needlessly die every year due to guns.

Gun crime is increasing internationally largely due to the prohibition of drugs. End prohibition and crime would half. Even the police have called for this, because they realise the obvious point that illegal drugs are more dangerous when we hand over the monopoly supply and huge profits to criminals.

Neil Harding, Brighton, England

Banning guns, knives or any other offensive weapon is not enough. That ban has then to be stringently enforced, and that takes political will, which is the one thing conspicuously lacking in our oh-so-poltically correct society And please let us have less of this nonsensical horse manure so beloved of the USA's gun lobby that guns don't kill people. If someone launches a jelly baby at me, I'm not likely to be hurt much. But if someone launches a bullet at me, I'm dead.

Nicholas Lee, Windsor, UK

Read between the lines above.. more gun control=more crime.

This has been proven time and time again but no one seems to get it. Handguns were all out banned in 1998 yet gun crime continues to rise.

Outlaw firearms and only outlaws will have guns.

Tommy, NYC, US

Common aspect of murder by guns and murder by knives... the murderer. How about we just ban people?

If someone is going to kill someone then they're going to kill someone. A gun makes it easier than a knife, and a knife makes it easier than a fist. My point is that the intention to kill (rob etc) is the problem - aided by the weapon. There'll always be criminals, but when they're as glamourised as they are (Quentin Tarantino style) then some idiots will think it's 'cool' to kill their competition and after enough time everyone else will think it's 'normal'.
Can anyone guess what the future's going to be like if we don't start encouraging our kids and each other to respect the right to live in peace. Life is difficult enough as it is.
However... I have no idea as to how to make that ideal a reality.

louise, brighton, uK

How many illegal weapons are there?
Well, none. We've banned them, right? Oh wait, criminals do not obey laws. OK, I'm flogging a dead horse here, but WHEN GUNS ARE OUTLAWED, ONLY CRIMINALS WILL HAVE GUNS.

Ken, Yorkshire,

Just like you europeans......the "state" is going to take care of you.
And now you have all these cultures taking over your nation. Europe will become part of a greater caliphate and you
will be bred out of existence. I thought all of your gun confiscation was going to save you. You just left yourselves disarmed, and all of your politicians have all of their professional protective services!

An american whom is aware......

Bob Pratt, Lyman, NH, USA

Historically, Britain was an armed society, with the hue and cry supporting the police in apprehending offenders. There was little gun crime, compared to today. So, what is the reason for the increase? Well, shortly after the turn of the 20th century the first gun control measures were introduced, leading to today's near outlawing of firearms altogether. Yet, crime has increased exponentially. Every time a new (gun) law is placed into effect, effectively emasculating the public, crime in general increases. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to draw the conclusion that the problem isn't the presence of firearms. Rather, it is the absence of society's ability to protect itself from the two legged predators. That is the lesson a reasonable person brings away from this.

Mark Pfeiffer, Trinidad, USA/Colorado

I just feel so sorry for all the law abiding people, who for years were allowed to follow their sport of target shooting, and whose guns were confisticated in the latest knee jerk reaction by this government . Since legally held hand guns were "taken off the street" handgun crime has increased by 147%. Thats the home office figure - so make your own mind up on what it really is!

Isn't it about time the government (any governement) was made to put in place some form of measurement to determine the actual results (benefits) of their changes to the law. In this particular case it is blatently clear that no improvement has been achieved.

peter wheelen, worcestershire,

i can't belive this his a innocent boy a young child he looks like a lovely boyy r.i.p little angel your a everten fan i bet you were sooo great at football your in heaven resting in peace i don't know rhys but i give my respect and love for the family and rhys you'r gone yes we might never see you again but most important of all you will never ever be forgotten great angel up in the skies x` x' x' x'

emily, london, united kingdom

The late Col, Jeff Cooper said it quite well:
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil. and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."

T Walls, Kelso , Washington, USA

Political correctness is to blame.Politicaly correct decisions made by politicians who live beyond the reach of the criminals.politicians who live in well protected,over policed areas with both electronic and physical security while the rest of us make do with plastic policemen and the occasional passing siren in the distance.

Steve Cartmell, Preston/london in that order, er UK er England er Europe er Greater USA

i think when young men leave school at sixteen the should be made to join the territorial army for a couple of years, this would keep them focused and teach them respect, which most of them lack. It would also help them to get rid of all that aggretion, They wont get the chance to hang about in gangs ,doing things they shouldent be doing, The goverment instead of speanding money on campains to stop people smoking, they should be foucusing on the real problems like gun, knife crime and drugs .This is the result of there softly softly approach, And we all know ,at this age if they start of on the wrong path there is no turning back. I also think its a geat way of getting all the cultures together ,it would help them to bond and realize we are all the same no matter what race we are.

sheila, EDINBURGH SCOTLAND,

Why does the article only reference stats in England and Wales? Have Scotland and Northern Ireland declared their independence from the UK, or could it be that their inclusion won't make the picture any rosier?

Stan Spencer, Portland, Oregon

Surely the real issue here is that the one thing the post-Dunblane pistol ban should have reduced was gun crime.It did not, and that says everything about the intelligence and the intellectual rigour of those who forced through this very socially destructive and anti-democratic legislation. Comparing the UK gun crime stats with other countries, whether France and Finland (or as was more usual until recently, the US) is an attempt to confuse rather than enlighten. The only question that needs to be answered is what happens in a particular country or state after the passage of a restrictive gun law. Invariably the crime rates ( murder, robbery and violent crime) all increase rapidly. For those who have not yet worked it out, legal ownership of firearms is the major factor in a larger community policing equation. The present laws favour criminals, actually encourage criminals to arm themselves and then protects the most violent criminals from their unarmed victims. Not so smart really!

Dr Lech Beltowski, Auckland, New Zealand

Take away Nasty Gunz, the machete rate goes up, take away machetes, the kitchen knife rate goes up, take away kitchen knives, the pointy-stick rate goes up, take away pointy-sticks and the rock-brick rate goes up. Yoooowhooo, OBJECTS have no volition, only people do. Trying to change human nature by limiting access to THINGS is moronic and doomed to failure.

Eduardo Molinillo, Cuernavaca, MX, Morelos

So gun crime is dropping? How does that fit with the fourfold increase in "gun related deaths"? If it were money being counted and not criminals, the home officials would be in jail for "creative accounting". Police have their origin in the need to delegate "hue and cry" (i.e. the pursuit of criminals AFTER the fact) to paid professionals because it became impractical to drop everything you are doing and join the chase (although as recently as 1909 armed civilians joined police in pursuit of two anarchists after a botched armed robbery in Tottenham). With weapons prohibition, the powers that be have taken to the pursuit of the law abiding citizen - hardly a recipe for catching criminals, but effective in filling prisons with low maintenence inmates.

Gunter Hick, Vienna, Austria

So 58 gun murders last year is very rare? Well one a year was rare whilst I was growing up in the 50s and 60s and if we did hear about of one it was either a gangland killing or a gang member killing a police officer.

The situation has worsened considerably in the past five or six years and we are sickened to hear news presenters and chief police officers as well as the Home Secretary telling us that gun and knife murders are rare.

Get these people off the streets for life - meaning life.

Roz Venner, St Neots,

It is not rocket science, for decades, a blind eye has been turned to the drug imports, it is obvious that if a person has safe passage for a consignment of drugs then it is but a simple matter to include guns in the shipment.For decades,the various Governments have been soft on hard drugs.
The taking away of legally held pistols quite predictably, had no effect whatsoever as there was never any connection. Clearly the lawmakers have an agenda of their own.
It would also be reassuring to see all siezed drugs actually destroyed, and where did all the confiscated weopons go?

Clive Burghard LANCING, LANCING, ENGLAND

Pistols are stricly controlled in Australia and a buy back a few years ago removed many pistols from Australians law abiding shooters. What did this do to the illegal guns in Australia? Nothing!. The illegal gun trade continues to grow on a daily basis. Law adibing citizen though continue to watch criminals who are caught with these illegal guns receive a slap on the hand when caught and very rarely is a goal sentance applied to these people. Even one woman who shot at her flat mate with an illegal revolver because he didnt move fast enough only got a 12 month weekend detention sentence. She should have been goaled for years! She only just missed him and the man working next door! The key to gun problems is to punish those who break the law. The law adibing owner is statisically not the problem.
One a parting note I who like to pass on my condolences to the family and friend of Rhys Jones who was tragically taken so early in life. My thoughts are with you at this time. God bless.

David Power, New South Wales, Australia

In the UK they are called "pistols", "handgun" is an emotive term chosen by the media during the lead up to the ridiculous 1998 mass conviction of pistol shooters. If a yob mows down a bus queue in his "hot hatchback", will you be happy to hand over your car keys?
I would not seek to belittle these tragedies, but they have nothing to do with what was, a great and respectable national sport. As we near the Olympics, our embarrassment at this media driven witch hunt increases.
Perhaps now we will prosecute the guilty. I understand that the cost of the pointless pistol ban would have paid for 2-3 hospitals, money well spent?

Keith Wilson, Beziers, France

This is a terr ible and heart rending event . i cannot imagine what Rhys's parents must be going through . But there will be other tragedies because we will not come to terms with the ghastly influence the media has on young lives . In a way we are all guilty because we do nothing to curb the glorification of shootings and knifings in film and video and the erosion of decent values by mindless rap music etc.
Censorship is not a desirable thing to have , because most of us can handle the material we watch without becoming homicidal maniacs . However the longer we go on denying the insidious effect that violent material has on some young people , our failure to stop it will create more victims

derek farman, windermere , cumbria

I believe that we should be very worried at the seeming increase of Gun and Knife Crime since the begining of this year. With the latest shooting of an 11 year old a few days ago, the number of young people killed violently this year by either a gun or a knife has now reached 18.
I read Norman Brenman's article and
I share his concern that it seems to be geting worse by the day. No one is doing anything meaningful about it. And the sad reality is that it is going to continue as Norman rightly said.

Being British myself and being Black , I have watched in utter dismay as the problem of gun and knife crime has gone on the increase right from the begining of this year.

Earlier this year I had a meeting with a Senior Police Officer of 23 years in service. He presently works with Operation Trident.
It was sad to learn that the Police have no idea where the guns come from.
Surely, something has to be done urgently!

Simon Owoade, London, UK

Be very worried about gun crime. Here in the United States almost every major city has several communities that are too unsafe to venture into. Violent criminals and gangs terrorize these communities. They shoot and kill innocent people. They are the same menaces to society that enjoy dogfighting, gangster rap music and demonizing the police.

Brien Comerford, Glenview, United States

Why don't you ban knives? Thats the next "logical" step isn't it?

P. Bunch, buffalo, USA/New York