Liberal Democrats want crackdown on knife sales in Waltham Forest

9.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 1st Sep 2008

Leyton and Wanstead Liberal Democrats wants tough action to be taken against those caught selling knives to children and young people. Figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats revealed that half of all traders tested in Waltham Forest had attempted to sell knives to underage buyers. These worrying statistics come on the back of nationwide figures for prosecutions which revealed that, in the last five years, not one person has been sent to prison for the illegal sale of knives to children.

Leytonstone FOCUS Team campaigner Mahmood Faiz says that the figures reveal "a completely inadequate deterrent to unscrupulous shop keepers who flout the law to sell these weapons to children and young people." We believe "Cutting the supply of knives would be one of the most effective ways to reduce knife crime".