Noel Gallagher Calls On Politicians To Tackle UK's Growing Knife Problem

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher has called on politicians to take a tougher stance against the growing knife problem in the United Kingdom.

In London alone, eighteen teenagers have already lost their lives through knife violence in 2008, the latest coming yesterday in the Thornton Heath area of the capital.

Speaking at the Silver Clef Awards, where Oasis claimed the prize for lifetime achievement, Gallagher said he feared the reality of the problem, and the impact it could have on his own children.

"In my day, status was trying to be somebody, do you know what I mean, not trying to kill somebody?" he told the BBC.

The Oasis guitarist said he believes that the problem is nationwide and that politicians need to act to prevent “scumbags” from “taking over our streets”.

"I don't even know what Cameron or Gordon Brown are going to do about it. I was watching a documentary on Panorama and another one about kids carrying knives and violence.

"One of the lads, a little lad, made a telling comment. The guy said, 'Do you not think there's anything better for you in life?'

"And he said, 'Yeah, there probably is but I've never known anything else',” Gallagher said.

He also added that youngsters had become “dissensitised to crime because they're playing these video games, it's really, really scary." 

Earlier today, three men appeared in court charged with the murder of 16-year-old Ben Kinsella, who was fatally stabbed in North London last week.

What do you think about Gallagher's comments and the problem of knife crime? Should politicians take tougher measures? Let Gigwise know your thoughts by posting a comment below.