Is the UK really trying to ban "pointed" knives

Stories abound regarding the UK's desire to follow on from banning most categories of centerfire firearms to a new ban on knives which have a "point".

This is a joke, right? Nobody seriously believes that this would actually make a difference to the stabbing statistics.

External Link:

news.bbc.co.uk...

Knives are seen as something cool by some kids and the legal age being 16 is pathetic, this is being increased to 18 (even so most places use this rule)

in my work place you cant even sell butter knives to anyone under 18

You seem to have taken it out of context, Retseh. The UK Government isn't trying to ban them - according to the story you posted, some A&E workers are calling for them to be banned. It's simply not possible or feasable to ban 'pointy' knives. Besides which, most people don't go around stabbing each other with them (contrary to what the press would have you believe... but hey, it sells newspapers so it must be ok, right?)

[edit on 19/5/07 by Ste2652]

That's the UK for you. Who needs privacy? Who needs rights?

Oh yeah. Heil Blair. Excuse me, the Thought Police have just kicked my door down because my jackboots weren't shiny enough at this morning's party rally.

Have you ever been to the UK, Johnmike? If so, where to? How long for? When? What did you see that made you sum up the UK in that one sentence?

Or have you been listening to some media outlet and just regurgitated what they told you?

[edit on 20/5/07 by Ste2652]

Nah, you're right for calling me out on that one. And no, I haven't been to the UK, though I know some people from England and Scotland. But what I usually refer to when I say things like that is the way the UK likes to play the "mommy state." Even here in the United States, I constantly hear things about banning this and banning that, about creating something like an "antisocial behavior" task force... It just seems like the people in the UK truly believe that the government should take such a strong social role, and it's really disheartening.

Disheartening that we're different from the US? There's an ocean between us, and it (along with our experience in history) has made us two different nations. Difference isn't bad, although for some reason people think it is. And you can see this all through everyday life - people from different races, backgrounds or cultures being discriminated against or even actively persecuted.

The state in the UK has taken on a much bigger role since the end of the Second World War because the people have given it a mandate to. They have voted for parties who endorse such an outlook (for example, voting in the Labour Party in the 1945 General Election because of a desire for a state-run healthcare system - the NHS).

It didn't just happen overnight. If you go into the history of it all, there are seminal events which changed Britain in a big way - WWII being a prime example. You have to remember that Britain was just twenty five miles away from Nazi-dominated Europe and was bombed regularly, and poverty became more abject whereas the mainland US was far away from the fighting and could quite happily get along with 'business as usual' because there was no imminent threat. We may be allies, but allies doesn't mean twins. There are some big differences, and although the US might not understand why a certain thing in Britain works differently to the US (and perhaps doesn't agree with the way it works too) and vice versa, both Britons and Americans need to realise that there are reasons for the way things are and should respect that instead of trying to say "Our way is the best." In most cases it isn't. People and countries need to be free to organise things their own way and make their own mistakes.

I'd also point out that no one has actually banned anything... it's just a group of people who said it ought to be banned. And you say you hear things like that in the US, so it sounds like a common occurrence in both countries.

when did increasing the age to purchase knifes become a issue of them banning them?
it even states in the news article that the govrement is just increasing the age of purchase which most likely has almost all public support

Of course it has public support, because the people have been lead tobelieve that simply outlawing or restricting bad things will save them, i.e. they are idiots because you cannot legislate morality.

PS - heard about the new pencil sharpener ban - I'm not kidding.

the main cause of the "nanny sate" feeling is local government council workers with nothing better to do than risk asses everything that everybody will ever do...way to much tax payer money is wasted on these worthless people.

i wouldn't surprise me if they just ban pointy things...

Once again and quite predictably the truth behind the basis of this thread turns out to be exaggerated, quite false and unfounded hearsay presented as if it were 'news' of a new piece of legislation.

It is sheer nonsense.

There is no UK Gov plot to "ban pointed knives".

.........and as for local Gov & "risk assessment" you'll find that this question arises because of the conditions the insurance companies insist upon.
That's the private sector. Not the public sector.

In other words nothing to do with this myth of the 'nanny state' at all.