(V): One store, one example, and you think that you've made the case against guns? The reality is that in the UK there is a growing threat of violent crime.

Analysis of figures from the European Commission showed a 77 per cent increase in murders, robberies, assaults and sexual offences in the UK.

The total number of violent offences recorded compared to population is higher than any other country in Europe, as well as America, Canada, Australia and South Africa.


The figures combined crime statistics for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The UK had a greater number of murders in 2007 than any other EU country – 927 – and at a relative rate higher than most western European neighbours, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

It also recorded the fifth highest robbery rate in the EU, and the highest absolute number of burglaries, with double the number of offences recorded in Germany and France.

Overall, 5.4 million crimes were recorded in the UK in 2007 - more than 10 a minute - second only to Sweden.

It's irresponsible to suggest that all a person has to do is a bit of slapping about and the criminal will flee. Idiotic. And let's not forget that awful incident with the dreaded handbag!!!

Granny needs a gun in her hand bag. Then when the criminals come, she takes it out, aims, pulls the trigger and kills as many as she can before they can get away. A dead criminal can't offend again. And there's no cost to put dead criminals in jail. Slapping them about does nothing. Shooting off their kneecaps does.