PRESS RELEASE

February 26th, 2010

FM knife blow

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has slammed the First Minister for refusing to back Damian's Law ahead of a vote later this year.

SNP leader Alex Salmond was questioned over the mandatory sentence amendment, backed by John Muir, by Iain Gray at First Minister Questions this week.

It was the first time the First Minister had been put on the spot since the amendment was lodged and he refused to back it.

He said: "The people of Scotland have shown they are full square behind the campaign to end knife crime and the First Minister must take heed of their wishes.

"This was the First Minister's opportunity to show real leadership on an issue that is concerning families all across Scotland yet he is putting politics before people's safety.

"It is disappointing but we fight on in the knowledge that he leads a minority government and we aim to win the majority of the parliament to win the people's campaign against those who carry and use knives."

The First Minister refused to back Damian's Law in a week where it was revealed that more than half of all murders are caused by a knife or sharp instrument.

New figures from the Scottish Government show there were 57 knife killings across the country last year compared to 34 in 2006.

The figures also reveal the proportion of people killed using a sharp instrument accounted for more than half (58 per cent) of all murders, a five-year high.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill had claimed knife crime was going down but he has been contradicted by his own stats.

The MSP called for him to back the Damian’s Law amendment which will see a minimum sentence of six months imposed on anyone caught carrying a knife.

He said: “It is deeply worrying that for the third year in a row we have seen an increase in the number of people being killed with knives.

“How many more people need to die from at the hands of knife thugs before Kenny MacAskill will take action?

"It is time he backed Scottish Labour’s plans to get tough on knife crime and supported the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences for knife carriers.

ENDS