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This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

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Closed Minimum sentences and mandatory licensing for carrying a knife

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The Government should require people who have a reasonable excuse to carry a knife to apply for a licence, with strict minimum sentences for carrying a knife without a licence, equivalent to those for carrying an unlicensed firearm.

My son was murdered by someone who had previously been caught with a knife. This law could have prevented this happening.

Given the prevalence of knife crime we desperately need an intervention by means of licensing and the deterrent of a minimum sentence for carrying an unlicensed knife.

A deterrent is important, anyone carrying a knife may use it and cause serious harm or death.

The Government are not taking knife crime seriously enough, we cannot continue to bury our children, the age of stabbings is getting younger.

The law needs to change.

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  • Related activity

    MPs debate knife crime

    MPs debated knife crime on Thursday 14 December, in the House of Commons. During the debate MPs discussed the actions the Government is taking to tackle knife crime, and what more could be done.

    The debate was led by Wendy Morton MP. Michael Tomlinson MP, a Minister of State from the Home Office, responded for the Government. The debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee.

    What are backbench business debates?

    Backbench business debates give backbenchers (MPs who aren’t ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the Chamber or Westminster Hall.

    MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, which hears and decides which debates to schedule.

    Backbench debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote). This debate was a general debate.

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    This petition will stay open until 9 June 2022.