Gun crime has almost doubled since Labour came to power as a culture of extreme gang violence has taken hold.
The latest Government figures show that the total number of firearm offences in England and Wales has increased from 5,209 in 1998/99 to 9,865 last year - a rise of 89 per cent.
In some parts of the country, the number of offences has increased more than five-fold.
In eighteen police areas, gun crime at least doubled.
The statistic will fuel fears that the police are struggling to contain gang-related violence, in which the carrying of a firearm has become increasingly common place.
Last week, police in London revealed they had begun carrying out armed patrols on some streets.
The move means officers armed with sub-machine guns are engaged in routine policing for the first time.
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Grayling, said last night: 'In areas dominated by gang culture, we're now seeing guns used to settle scores between rivals as well as turf wars between rival drug dealers.
'We need to redouble our efforts to deal with the challenge.'
He added: 'These figures are all the more alarming given that it is only a week since the Metropolitan Police said it was increasing regular armed patrols in some areas of the capital'.
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The gun crime figures, which were obtained by the Tories from official Parliamentary answers, do not include air weapons.
But they provide the first regional breakdown of the increasing use of firearms.
Lancashire suffered the single largest rise in gun crime, with recorded offences increasing from 50 in 1998/99 to 349 in 2007/08, an increase of 598 per cent.
Heckler Koch
Armed: Officers engaged in routine policing are carrying sub-machine guns for the first time
Only four police forces - Cleveland-Humberside, Cambridgeshire and Sussex - recorded falls in gun crime.
The number of people injured or killed by guns, excluding air weapons, has increased from 864 in 1998/99 to a provisional figure of 1,760 in 2008/09, an increase of 104 per cent .
The figures follow a warning by Mr Grayling that U.S.-style gang culture has reached some parts of the UK.
In August, he made a controversial speech warning that a collapse of 'civilised life' had allowed a brutal drug and gun crime culture - like that of the U.S. TV show The Wire - to flourish in Britain.
The hit TV series tracks the nightmare of gangs and organised crime in inner city West Baltimore and the futile efforts of police to deal with them.
The Met's decision to employ armed officers on the streets has attracted criticism.
But the force, which has already begun the scheme, insists that the unprecedented tactic is a proportionate and temporary response to prevent armed gangs from controlling estates.
Trident
Trident poster campaign warning of dangers of young women and girls storing and transporting guns for others
Last month, police warned that teenage girls were now being dragged into the gun culture by hiding weapons for their boyfriends.
Police are targeting girls between 15 and 19 with an advertising blitz warning them that they can expect a five-year prison sentence if they are caught.
The number of women charged with firearms offences in London has increased six-fold in the past year - 12 have been charged since January.
Seven of them were teenagers, including a 16-year-old arrested after a 9mm Browning self-loading pistol was found in her bedroom.
No the good ole USA is not to blame for this one!!!Let me guess... America is to blame for the guns being smuggled into the UK?
I feel bad for our British brothers.
Air weapon legal power in a pistol upto 6ftlbAir weapons?
Self-loading pistol?
Has a pistol ban in a country ever been lifted, after the government realized it only made things worse?
Yes, in recent year's following a successful challenge through the Irish Supreme Court, a ban on centre fire handguns was lifted forcing the authorities to issue permite to suitably qualified individuals.Has a pistol ban in a country ever been lifted, after the government realized it only made things worse?
Nope, the UK's gov't and people are to blame, no one else. All they've accomplished is making it impossible for people to defend themselves and putting the criminals on notice that they now own the streets. Guns will always be available to those who want them. To give you an idea of the availability, keeping the law of supply and demand in mind, that's a cheaper price (after converting to US$) than what you can buy them for, legally, in the US.It's the former soviet states and the eastern european states... I posted earlier on another thread...... You can pick up an AK and ammo for around $200 in the markets (under the counter of course)
Tint Bob
Yes. Absolutely, it's that simple. And it's entirely possible that the dangerous putzes in this country will dare take it that far, damn the consequences, all on the principles that "Guns Are Bad." In reality, dangerous putzes in power are bad, far worse than firearms in the hands of every citizen could ever possibly be.Nope, the UK's gov't and people are to blame, no one else. All they've accomplished is making it impossible for people to defend themselves and putting the criminals on notice that they now own the streets.
Bob,Rumor has it ....That the Home Office has a "D" Notice on all black on black crime.
A "D" Notice is DO NOT PUBLISH!!!
Yes it's bad although not as bad as some of the stories I read here....You do have the right to carry a self defence weapon, we do not.
Tint Bob (UK)
Even if every black in the UK decided to up and assault each other en masse, it still would only equate to 2% of the total UK population.white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Source - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html
Very well put, i just hope we are not too late here.The stupid twits (uh, that would be the putzes in power dictating terms to the people) won't believe the increase in crime is due to their vapid policies. They just won't. The people will suffer, criminals will prosper, and the powerful putzes won't be responsible.
The more things change, the more things stay the same.
What needs to be done, IMO:
Steps much short of this will leave many disrespected by the law and left out in the cold. In fairly open states, here, even, we're only partly way toward this ideal.
- Acknowledgment of the absolute right of all people to defend themselves, their families and others.
- Complete "Castle" coverage for all people in all righteous, self-defense situations, barring all financial and legal impacts for upstanding actions.
- Complete right to own, carry, transport and otherwise have anything to do with weaponry of any sort commonly carried by people (ie, from rifles on down).
- Imprisonment and fines for any and all putzes (officials in power) or law enforcement types who lay a finger on upstanding people for defending themselves.
Yes. Absolutely, it's that simple. And it's entirely possible that the dangerous putzes in this country will dare take it that far, damn the consequences, all on the principles that "Guns Are Bad." In reality, dangerous putzes in power are bad, far worse than firearms in the hands of every citizen could ever possibly be.
