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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National

Keir Starmer’s focus on knife sales is a futile distraction

Tributes to the victims of the Southport killings left outside Liverpool crown court, where Axel Rudakubana was to be sentenced on 23 January 2025.
Tributes to the victims of the Southport killings left outside Liverpool crown court, where Axel Rudakubana was to be sentenced on 23 January 2025. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

Keir Starmer’s reaction to the Southport killings includes addressing knife sales (Report, 22 February). Selling zombie-style blades is indefensible, but almost every domestic kitchen contains sharp knives: hindering under-18s’ access to them is performative but futile, distracting from addressing the real, difficult questions of who wants to kill, why, and whether and how they might be prevented before they break any laws.
Kimon Roussopoulos
Cambridge

• If Georgia’s Mike Collins gets his way (Trump criticizes ‘nasty’ bishop who made pro-immigrant and LGBTQ+ plea, 22 January) and the Right Rev Mariann Edgar Budde is deported, there’s a vacancy over here for a courageous and moral church leader.
Sue Leverton
Marldon, Devon

• While Donald Trump is praising God for saving him to enable him to “make America great again” (Report, 20 January), let’s not forget about the guy who was killed during the attempt to assassinate him: Corey Comperatore.
Terry Kelly
Widnes, Cheshire

• In our class (Letters, 22 January), we had a David Shaw and a Gordon Bradshaw. One day the latter gave an answer and was challenged by a master: “Are you sure?” Then he chirruped back: “Oh no, Sir, I’m Bradshaw; that’s Shaw over there.”
Phil Thomas
Kingswood, Cheshire

• Keir Starmer sees AI as the future. He obviously hasn’t had any dealings with BT’s virtual assistant.
Ian D Richardson
Ealing, London

• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.

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