PRESS RELEASE

July 1st, 2010

Knife fight goes on...

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has pledged to make knife crime his number one priority.

Following the defeat of the Damian’s Law amendment this week in the Scottish Parliament, Mr McNeil met with Labour leader Iain Gray and justice spokesman Richard Baker.

He gained an assurance that mandatory sentencing will be a Labour manifesto commitment and they will implement it if they are returned to government this year.

Labour leader Iain Gray re-affirmed the commitment at First Minister questions on Thursday.

Mr McNeil said: “There can be no doubt that even though the knife campaigners lost the vote, they have won the argument.

“It is not a matter of if but when we change the law to get tough on knives.

“The campaigners who made the trip through to Edinburgh did our community proud and I hope to be celebrating a victory on this issue with them in the near future.”

ENDS