EU VOTES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AS 25 ARRESTED IN WEST MIDS RAIDS

9.28.00pm GMT Fri 30th Nov 2007

The European Parliament voted this week in favour of proposals to ban firearms than can be converted to handguns, and require a national database to be set up to record gun serial numbers, buyers and sellers. The vote in Brussels came on the same day as raids in the Aston, Alum Rock, Handsworth and Ward End areas of Birmingham which saw 25 people arrested and many more arrests and seizures of convertible imitation guns across the country.

The West Midlands is one the UK government's four hotspots for gun crime, accounting for nine percent of all firearms offences in England and Wales during 2005-6. This equates to 37 firearms offences per 100,000 people. For local Euro MP Liz Lynne, the supply of guns to criminals is a Europe-wide problem and has to be tackled collectively.

Commenting today, Liz Lynne said:

"In the UK a ban on handguns was introduced after the murders of 16 schoolchildren and their teacher in Dunblane, but it has not stopped convertible guns from entering the country.

"As is evident from this week's raids, we are facing an ever-increasing problem with gun crime in this country, most notably in our large cities such as Birmingham which is one of the UK government's four gun crime hotspots.

"But this is a problem mirrored in other EU countries and it is a problem which stems from the fact that many of these weapons are being imported into this country from other member states, so it is right for us to work together in trying to eradicate this menace from our streets. As one of my colleagues said yesterday, Europe does not want to follow the route of the U.S., where it is too easy for guns to fall into the wrong hands.

"The macho image of guns in the minds of alienated young people also has to be tackled - we can see the evidence from the YouTube video of the Aston gang. If we can get to the root of some of the causes of social exclusion in our inner-city areas and provide more opportunity and better role models for impressionable young people, many would realise for themselves that a life of guns and crime offers no way out."