Wendy challenges WATERED DOWN KNIFE SCHEME

- SNP hypocrisy: CIGARETTES TREATED MORE SERIOUSLY THAN KNIVES -

Campaigning local politician Wendy Alexander tackles SNP Government on watering down the knife licensing scheme.  She tackled Justice secretary Kenny McAskill in Parliament on why the Scottish Government’s Non-Domestic Knife Licensing Scheme has been ‘watered down’ by the SNP.

Wendy Alexander said

“Originally the law was to have meant that knives were not allowed to be displayed, CCTV would have to be installed in shops selling knives and knives would have to kept in locked cabinets. I know this is what law abiding buddies want.

Yet, this has been watered down by the SNP so that now local authorities can decide on licensing conditions instead of a national blanket ban.  At the same time the SNP’s proposed Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill will lead to all tobacco products being banned from display in shop from 2011 onwards.”

Wendy Alexander said:

“This is ridiculous if cigarettes are deemed too dangerous to be put on display surely knives should be dealt with in exactly the same way. There needs to be a blanket ban on the display of knives and CCTV and locked cabinets should be compulsory.

“I am not saying that there isn’t merit in the proposed Tobacco display ban. I want to make children are protected but if it’s right for a packet of fags to be hidden away then surely it should be the same for a Rambo-knife.

“This is another instance of ‘Soft-touch MacAskill’ getting it wrong. Our communities are sick of knife crime and look to the government to do something. So far we’ve got a watered down knife licensing scheme that was delayed for months and SNP opposition to Labour’s plans for minimum sentences for knife thugs.
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”Kenny MacAskill isn’t just soft-touch, he’s completely out of touch.”