Tougher knife sentences and is now the time to arm police? | 4SUU6Q3 | 2024-05-03 11:08:01
Readers in today's MetroTalk express shock at the surge in UK knife attacks, paralleling them with the US shooting epidemic.
Are current knife possession sentences effective deterrents?
Meanwhile, readers contemplate Humza Yousaf's resignation as a sad blow to the LGBTQ community and oppose the idea shifting responsibility for violent offenders abroad.
Share what you think about these topics and more in the comments
What's the solution to knife crime?
So another maniac goes on the rampage with a bladed weapon, kills a 14-year-old boy and injures four others (Metro, Wed). It's about time police were armed. This sort of thing is happening too frequently. Chris, Thatcham
Rwanda isn't the answer to our overcrowded prisons
Jean from Huddersfield (MetroTalk, Thu) suggests sending our most violent offenders to Rwanda as a solution to overcrowded prisons.
Shifting a problem to another country is never the answer. The UK government needs to deal with the issue.
We need rehabilitation programmes to avoid recidivist behaviour for starters.
Invest in education, housing and youth facilities. Invest in healthcare. Empower people to want to strive for a better successful life. Invest in people. Maggie, Harrow
I was astounded by Jean's view. Maybe if we pit the asylum seekers against violent offenders in a wrestling tournament in Rwanda we could sell tickets and fund the air fares.
Sorry to be flippant but I don't think Rwanda needs our criminals as well. Susan, Oldham
Railway staff are treated like dirt
How dare Emily (MetroTalk, Wed) suggest that 'the majority of rail staff treat passengers like dirt'.
During the pandemic, railways still ran to ensure essential services could be maintained and were themselves considered to be essential services. And yet did you clap for them on a Thursday evening? I doubt it.
Rail staff are abused verbally and physically and wear body-worn cameras as a form of deterrent (as the police do).
Criticise the operators and the Department for Transport all you like but those frontline colleagues are mothers, sons and carers like everyone else and deserve thanks. Alexis, Bristol
Will renationalising make trains more efficient?
Whether or not the railways should be renationalised as Labour proposes is open to debate (MetroTalk, Thu).
One thing I would say is when they were nationalised, I don't recall engineering works seemingly taking place practically every weekend. Roger Smith, Witham
In the latest tiresome mud-slinging at the Tories on your letters page, Julian Self (MetroTalk, Tue) is extremely selective with the truth.
Neither Labour or Tories can be blamed for the 2008 recession
The financial crisis of 2008 was indeed not caused by Labour but neither was it caused by 'greedy bankers'. And nor can David Cameron and George Osborne be blamed for the necessary austerity that ensued.
The UK's budget deficit as the coalition government took over in 2010 was £103billion or nearly seven per cent of GDP, ten times the level in 2007-08.
The Conservatives had actually managed to balance the books, before the deficit ballooned to £240billion in 2021 through the pandemic (it has dropped considerably since).
The two major crises of the past 15 years were global in nature, as was the recent inflation spike. They can't be blamed on either Labour or the Tories. Angus, Hammersmith
LGBT community lose ally in Humza
In resigning as Scotland's first minister – while facing votes of no confidence after collapsing the power-sharing deal with the Greens – Humza Yousaf has lost his chance to make Scotland independent in order to rejoin the EU, thus betraying the results of the Brexit vote.
But I do admire him for his policies to protect trans people from harassment. Yousaf really is a friend of the LGBT community. Dorothy, Brighton
<p> <span class="mor-link" data-track-module="mor-link_article"> MORE : <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/02/marcus-monzo-charged-murder-daniel-anjorin-hainault-attack-20759958/?ico=more_text_links" class="" >More graphic details emerge of 'sword killer's 22-minute reign of terror'
<p> <span class="mor-link" data-track-module="mor-link_article"> MORE : <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/01/man-charged-murder-boy-14-killed-hainault-20756977/?ico=more_text_links" class="" >Family of boy, 14, killed in sword rampage pay tribute
<p> <span class="mor-link" data-track-module="mor-link_article"> MORE : <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/27/moment-jealous-knifeman-tried-slash-exs-throat-restaurant-20729773/?ico=more_text_links" class="" >Horror moment 'jealous' man tried to cut ex-girlfriend's throat in restaurant</a> </span> </p> More >> https://ift.tt/x8Qk1FB Source: MAG NEWS
