England has already banned guns, given this story, should they ban knives?

That's what happens to a socialist country. The government could always do what they want to do,if their MP"s will vote for it! Just like here in Toronto, city officials (Far left Socialist NDP's)they keep increasing taxes, now they told to the grocery stores to stop using box, if they do they must charge .05 cents each.They are planning to hire people to police the citizens who are putting what in the recycle bin or green bin. I hope that U.S. won't become a socialist country as well!

If they ban guns and knives, I don't think it will work! They try to do it here, but there's more criminals now then 5-10 years ago.Evil people could still find their way to accomplish their premeditated evil plan.

Just have to step in to say that "guns" aren't banned in England. Anyone can own a shotgun as long as they have a secure place to keep it and no criminal history (and no medical condition that would mean they shouldn't handle firearms); these are classed as "Section 2" firearms.

At 14 you can apply for a "Section 1" certificate which would allow you to own single-shot centre rifles, semi-automatic .22 rimfire rifles, and/or shotguns with a larger magazine (Section 2 is limited to a 2 shot mag) as long as the same criteria is met, in addition to being a member of a gun club.

"Banned" guns are classed as "Section 5", and includes all fully-automatic firearms and most pistols. It is still possible to get a licence for them, however it would take exceptional circumstances to do so (which discounts most of the general public). Fully-automatics have been there for a long time, but pistols were only added about 10 years ago. The government at the time didn't want to 'ban' pistols, but the media and public at large made such a fuss after the Dunblane Massacre that they simply had to; there would probably have been riots in the streets if they didn't... meanwhile all the gun owners handed over their "weapons" peacefully.

We have, though, banned some knives already; balisongs, automatics, gravity knives, push daggers and quite a few more.

It's already illegal to carry a ANYTHING in public with the intention of using it as a weapon, and we've had laws against murder since laws began... doesn't stop it happening. New laws aren't going to make any difference.

EDIT: Other than most pistols, and all fully-automatics, which are de-facto banned, I wouldn't say most other guns are banned 'in practice' at all. You don't need to give any justification, have land or club membership or anything else to own a shotgun. Anyone can have one if they want, you just need a gun-safe (less than £100 for a basic model), no criminal history, and no medical condition that would make you liable to fits/seizures etc. It's just that most city-folk don't see the need in spending money on something they'll never use (a gun) and so they don't bother buying them; but most people can have one if they wanted. Other guns (rifles, antiques, black-powder etc.) are easy enough to get certificates for too if you wanted.

This is what happens when left wing loonies ban guns!

I went into Asda a few weeks ago and I had to prove I was over 18 to buy some plastic cutlery!

What harm am I going to do with a plastic spoon?!

Banning guns is a bad idea? Well banning knives is extreme but banning guns isn't smart.I wish you were here in Maryland when the D.C. Sniper was doing target practice on random people. I saw no one on streets at night...even the gun lovers who think they can protect themselves from bullets with bullets. Man, imagine how many how of those victims would be alive if he just had a knife?

Wow, England had ONE murder and it's such a big deal. Things like this happen in the US almost every day and no one cares.

Obviously banning guns isn't going to stop all crime, but if it prevents 80% of it, it's a good idea.

Why not? Then they could ban ropes, heavy objects, golf clubs and all the other things that people can kill each other with.

England should ban itself

Perhaps they should ban the carrying of knives. The Gun band in England has worked wonderfully. I have never heard of a single incident where someone took a gun to a school and killed multiple people.

So what happens if most murders were done by strangulation by hands. Should they cut people's hands at birth.

You can bet that they're working on it. How in the world did they ever build an empire?