AS the nationwide month-long amnesty ends with 40,000 blades of all kinds being handed in at police stations, Shadow Home Secretary Jack Straw adds a welcome cutting edge to the war on the "knife culture" inspired by the murder of heroic London head teacher Philip Lawrence.

For though a Bill providing stronger penalties against the criminal carrying of knives comes before the Commons this week, the government would do well to immediately include the extra measures proposed by Mr Straw today.

That is because they are aimed at cutting the supply of knives - a matter which the government's Bill, targeting malevolent misuse of them, misses. For Mr Straw proposes a ban on the sale of knives to under-16s; controls on knife adverts and the mail order trade; warning labels on knives with blades longer than three inches; and prohibiting the sale of military-type knives and swords, martial arts weapons and - supporting this newspaper's campaign - banning replica guns too.

These are all sensible, practical proposals - and, to anyone with a concern about the rising outbreak of knife attacks, necessary measures.

The government should forget party politics and adopt them forthwith.

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