Starmer Promises Action to End ‘Shockingly Easy’ Access to Knives Online
The prime minister said he will introduce stricter measures in the wake of the Southport atrocity.
The prime minister said he will introduce stricter measures in the wake of the Southport atrocity.
Online retailers will be forced to put in place tougher checks to stop youngsters buying knives after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it is “shockingly easy” for children to buy blades.
Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana used a knife bought from Amazon to kill three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
The government has promised new laws, which could see retailers forced to ask anyone buying a knife for two types of identification.
Buyers could be asked to submit an official identity document, such as a passport or driving licence, and also record a live video to prove their age, the BBC reported.
Employment minister Alison McGovern said new measures to use two-factor identification to prevent under-age people from buying knives are needed to stop the “absolute devastation” caused by the flow of blades.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs it is a “a total disgrace” that Rudakubana, then 17 and with a history of violence, was able to buy a weapon online and promised new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill this spring.
Writing in The Sun, Starmer said: “It remains shockingly easy for our children to get their hands on deadly knives. The lessons of this case could not be clearer.
“Time and again, as a child, the Southport murderer carried knives. Time and again, he showed clear intent to use them.
“And yet, tragically, he was still able to order the murder weapon off of the internet without any checks or barriers. A two-click killer. This cannot continue.
“The technology is there to set up age verification checks, even for kitchen knives ordered online.
“We must now use it to protect our children from future attack and I will ensure that this happens.”
McGovern was asked how two-factor identification to prevent people who are not old enough to buy knives would work.
“Knife crime is horrendous and we have got to have the new measures that you just mentioned, because we cannot have this flow of knives that can cause such absolute devastation,” she told “BBC Breakfast.”
“We know that the technology is there to improve verification checks and I think that everyone would want that, every business, every organisation.”
She said the government will work with retailers to stop knives getting into the wrong hands.
But she stressed that “in the end, we’ve got to have the right checks in place” and said the government will “look at every measure that we can bring forward through legislation.”
The need for action on knife crime has been further illustrated after a 12-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Birmingham on Tuesday.
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the youngster was found with serious injuries near Scribers Lane in Hall Green shortly after 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Commander Stephen Clayman, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is leading a review of online knife sales and had been due to report at the end of this month, but the plans are now being brought forward, the BBC said.
The forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill is also set to introduce new sanctions for senior tech executives whose companies fail to operate within the law on knife sales.
The current law states that retailers must verify the age of the customer before selling a knife and, for those bought online, at the point of collection or delivery.
An Amazon spokesman said: “We take our responsibility around the sale of all age-restricted items—including bladed products—extremely seriously and have launched an urgent investigation in relation to this tragic case.
“We use trusted ID verification services to check name, date of birth, and address details whenever an order is placed for these bladed items.
“We have an age verification on delivery process that requires drivers to verify the recipient’s age through an app on their devices before handing over a parcel containing an age-restricted item.”
ET breaks down Prince Harry’s U.K. tabloid court case win that includes a $12 million settlement and a historic apology.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"It's just a date."
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Things took a deliciously messy turn.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Relatives of an 8-year-old boy and his mother who were murdered by a Connecticut drug gang are outraged that a man convicted in the killings was one of nearly 2,500 people whose drug-related prison…
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Elon Musk wasted no time taking shots at Donald Trump's Stargate initiative.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
O.J. Simpson's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, spoke on Sean 'Diddy' Combs' chances in court. Here's what he explained.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The frontman looks to have made his final Celtic Park appearance
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
WETHERSPOONS is plotting to open its cut-price pubs abroad, The Sun can exclusively reveal. Boss Sir Tim Martin said the chain is considering franchises overseas after a string of successful partne…
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Star actress Jessica Alba took some time away from her fresh split to get a rush of adrenaline in New York City.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Safe and sound.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.