MP Scott Mann Said All Knives Should Be Fitted With GPS And People Have Pointed Out Some Flaws

Politician later admits it's "a bit of a shit idea".
Tory MP Scott Mann ridiculed after saying "all knives sold in UK should be fitted with GPS trackers".
Tory MP Scott Mann ridiculed after saying "all knives sold in UK should be fitted with GPS trackers".
Evening Standard

There’s no such thing as a bad idea, or so the old adage goes. Well, kids, we might just have found one.

A Conservative MP has been mocked online after he suggested fitting all knives sold in the UK with GPS tracking to help cut down violent crime.

Scott Mann, who represents North Cornwall, wrote on Twitter: “Every knife sold in the UK should have a gps tracker fitted in the handle. It’s time we had a national database like we do with guns.

“If you’re carrying it around you had better have a bloody good explanation.”

Mann added there would be “obvious exemptions for fishing etc” but his idea has been mocked by many who thought it unlikely to be an effective strategy.

Naturally, it prompted some higher banter on social media.

There were some logistical problems

Have you got much in the way of a plan for how the police monitor the movement of the UK’s, let’s say 300 million knives?

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) March 14, 2019

And the ‘fishing’ loophole ...

My favourite thing about this is that the main caveat he came up with was "fishing". https://t.co/RaZVWPqOkp

— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) March 14, 2019

*going to work as normal, taking cutlery with me for my packed lunch*

Police slam me to the ground, tasering me in the nuts:
"YOU'D BETTER BE FUCKING FISHING, SON OR YOU'RE GETTING LOCKED UP FOR A LONG FUCKIN TIME"

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 14, 2019

What happens when a knife granted the obvious exemption for fishing is used to illegally steal stocks from a salmon farm?

— David Whitley (@mrdavidwhitley) March 14, 2019

SCOTT MANN, GESTURING AT POWERPOINT: As we all know, the two uses for knives are 1) fishing and 2) crime

AUDIENCE, SEATED: yes, please continue

— Tom Chivers (@TomChivers) March 14, 2019

Maybe it could be rolled-out further?

Why stop there? GPS trackers in EVERY KITCHEN IMPLEMENT. If you're carrying a spatula on the tube you better have a bloody good explanation. https://t.co/RaWh9CFDOK

— Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley (@lottelydia) March 14, 2019

But maybe he was on to something?

Fellow Conservative MP Johnny Mercer later made light of the situation by sharing a video of himself and Mann reading through the mocking messages.

In the video Mercer is seen entering Mann’s office in Westminster, which has a sign written on the door which reads “Ministry of Good Ideas.”

“Scotty, how are you my friend?” Mercer asks. “Apparently you’ve had a good idea?”

I reveal a secret part of the Palace of Westminster you may not have seen before: the Ministry of Good Ideas. Guess who’s behind the desk.. pic.twitter.com/yEo4ObzdwO

— Johnny Mercer MP (@JohnnyMercerUK) March 14, 2019

After Mercer has read out some of the mocking tweets Mann responds by saying: “It probably was a bit of a shit idea right?

“But ultimately we have a problem and no one’s coming up with any solutions.”

Mercer says he agrees with Mann on that point, then proceeds to read out more mocking tweets.

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