Tory MP says every knife sold in UK should have GPS tracker 'fitted in the handle'
‘If you’re carrying it around you had better have a bloody good explanation, obvious exemptions for fishing etc,’ says Scott Mann, prompting widespread derision
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Every knife sold in the UK should have a GPS tracking device fitted in its handle, according to a Conservative MP.
The proposal was suggested as a potential means of dealing with increasing levels of knife crime in the UK.
Scott Mann, MP for North Cornwall, said: “Every knife sold in the UK should have a GPS tracker fitted in the handle.”
“It’s time we had a national database like we do with guns. If you’re carrying it around you had better have a bloody good explanation, obvious exemptions for fishing etc.”
Mr Mann’s suggestion was immediately met with derision after it was posted on Twitter, with dozens of users rushing to point out that the measure would both be vastly expensive and ineffective.
“Good God,” wrote one. “Just when you think our elected officials can’t possibly be any dimmer...”
Mr Mann’s tweet came after the Ministry of Justice announced that knife and weapon offences were at a nine-year high. Some 21,484 crimes were dealt with in England and Wales last year – making it the highest number since 2009.
He appeared to suggest that putting all knives into a national database and fitting them with tracking devices would help bring down those numbers.
Any such GPS tracking system would inevitably come at a considerable cost.
Knives would not only need the technology required to connect with GPS satellites, they would also need a data connection so that they could be tracked down by police.
Scott Mann became an MP in 2015. In 2016, he revealed that during a boating trip he had to be saved from drowning by fellow Tory MP Johnny Mercer, because he was “ashamed to admit” that he could not swim.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments