It shouldn't take a celebrity for us to get action

MOTHER OF STAB VICTIM SLAMS DELAY TO 'ZOMBIE KNIFE’ BAN

- JOHN SCHEERHOUT

THE grieving mother of a boy stabbed to death at 16 has criticised the government's announcement of new legislation to ban 'zombie-style' knives. Kelly Brown said it 'should not take a celebrity' to prompt ministers into action.

Actor Idris Elba, 51, who has campaigned for the banning of machetes and so-called zombie knives, said the government's latest crackdown announced yesterday is a 'step in the right direction!

Fresh legislation was being laid in Parliament yesterday in order to close what ministers have described as a 'loophole' within an existing ban on the weapons.

Previous attempts to ban the knives have defined such blades as having threatening images or words on them.

The new law will mean blades without any logos will also be recognised if they have other key features, such as a cutting or serrated edge, the Home Office says.

This is the government's third attempt at banning the blades since 2016 and campaigners, including Idris Elba, have expressed concern that other weapons such as swords are still not included in the legislation.