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| Blair wants gun crime age reduced | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has said he wants to lower the age at which long prison sentences could be handed out for gun possession. | |
| The PM has ordered a review of laws and wants those aged 17 to 21, and not just the over-21s, to face minimum five-year jail terms for having illegal firearms. | The PM has ordered a review of laws and wants those aged 17 to 21, and not just the over-21s, to face minimum five-year jail terms for having illegal firearms. |
| He also told the BBC he wanted gang membership considered in sentencing. | |
| Opposition politicians said there were no quick fixes for society's problems. Four people, including three teenagers, have been killed in London this month. | Opposition politicians said there were no quick fixes for society's problems. Four people, including three teenagers, have been killed in London this month. |
| The teenagers were all shot dead in south London - two of them in their own homes. | The teenagers were all shot dead in south London - two of them in their own homes. |
| And on Saturday, a 28-year-old man was shot dead in Hackney, east London, while three men are in hospital after being shot in two separate attacks in the Moss Side and Longsight areas of Manchester. | And on Saturday, a 28-year-old man was shot dead in Hackney, east London, while three men are in hospital after being shot in two separate attacks in the Moss Side and Longsight areas of Manchester. |
| Minimum term | Minimum term |
| The prime minister has ordered an immediate review of all of the laws surrounding the possession and use of guns and will call a summit of ministers and the police to talk about how to challenge gun violence. | The prime minister has ordered an immediate review of all of the laws surrounding the possession and use of guns and will call a summit of ministers and the police to talk about how to challenge gun violence. |
| On Sunday, he told the BBC's Sunday AM programme that offenders as young as 17 may face at least five years in jail if caught with illegal fire arms. | On Sunday, he told the BBC's Sunday AM programme that offenders as young as 17 may face at least five years in jail if caught with illegal fire arms. |
| GUN CRIME The number of people injured by firearms in England and Wales has more than doubled since 1998In 2005/2006, the number of gun murders fell by more than a third from 78 to 50There were 11,084 recorded firearms crimes in 2005/2006 - up 0.12% on previous yearLondon, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands account for 54% of recorded incidents Source: Home Office | GUN CRIME The number of people injured by firearms in England and Wales has more than doubled since 1998In 2005/2006, the number of gun murders fell by more than a third from 78 to 50There were 11,084 recorded firearms crimes in 2005/2006 - up 0.12% on previous yearLondon, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands account for 54% of recorded incidents Source: Home Office |
| At the moment, that sentence only applies to the over 21s. | At the moment, that sentence only applies to the over 21s. |
| And he announced plans for more powers for police to deal with teenage gangs. | And he announced plans for more powers for police to deal with teenage gangs. |
| Downing Street has told BBC News that the prime minister had ordered a review of legislation two weeks ago and the plans were not just a reaction to events of recent days. | |
| Responding to Mr Blair's plans, Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there were "no quick fixes" to the problem. | Responding to Mr Blair's plans, Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there were "no quick fixes" to the problem. |
| "Rather than new laws we need more police and more effective policing," he told BBC News. | "Rather than new laws we need more police and more effective policing," he told BBC News. |
| "All young people should feel they have a stake in society - effective schooling, more engaged youth services and better community support are all needed to help young people escape the cycle of deprivation and gang culture." | "All young people should feel they have a stake in society - effective schooling, more engaged youth services and better community support are all needed to help young people escape the cycle of deprivation and gang culture." |
| And Nick Herbert, Tory shadow spokesman for police reform, told the BBC "short-term emergency government announcements" were "no substitute for long-term patient action to rebuild a broken society". | And Nick Herbert, Tory shadow spokesman for police reform, told the BBC "short-term emergency government announcements" were "no substitute for long-term patient action to rebuild a broken society". |
| "It's not just tougher laws that are needed but also strong enforcement, with police on our streets, and a new focus on the drivers of gang crime - most of all family breakdown," he added. | "It's not just tougher laws that are needed but also strong enforcement, with police on our streets, and a new focus on the drivers of gang crime - most of all family breakdown," he added. |
| Scaremonger warning | Scaremonger warning |
| Following the killing in Hackney, police are searching for two black men seen making off towards Digby Road. | Following the killing in Hackney, police are searching for two black men seen making off towards Digby Road. |
| Billy Cox was found dying at the family home by his sister | Billy Cox was found dying at the family home by his sister |
| The victim was shot as he went to get out of a grey Fiat Punto outside the Eko restaurant in Homerton High Street at about 0530 GMT on Saturday. He was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. | The victim was shot as he went to get out of a grey Fiat Punto outside the Eko restaurant in Homerton High Street at about 0530 GMT on Saturday. He was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. |
| On Wednesday, Billy Cox, 15, of Clapham, died from a gunshot wound to the chest, a post-mortem examination has said. | On Wednesday, Billy Cox, 15, of Clapham, died from a gunshot wound to the chest, a post-mortem examination has said. |
| His shooting followed the deaths of James Andre Smarrt-Ford, 16, and Michael Dosunmu, 15, who were gunned down in Streatham and Peckham respectively. | His shooting followed the deaths of James Andre Smarrt-Ford, 16, and Michael Dosunmu, 15, who were gunned down in Streatham and Peckham respectively. |
| But Cindy Butts, of the Metropolitan Police Authority, warned against "knee-jerk reactions to the problems that we're facing". | But Cindy Butts, of the Metropolitan Police Authority, warned against "knee-jerk reactions to the problems that we're facing". |
| "As shocking as these events are, we have had a 16% drop in the number of gun crimes here in London and I think it is important that we don't scaremonger, that we don't blow things out of proportion," she told BBC News. | "As shocking as these events are, we have had a 16% drop in the number of gun crimes here in London and I think it is important that we don't scaremonger, that we don't blow things out of proportion," she told BBC News. |