Cornwall MP ridiculed over knife GPS tweet

Scott Mann suggested that exemptions should be made for fishing knives

An MP has been ridiculed on social media after he suggested all knives should be fitted with GPS trackers.

Scott Mann, Conservative MP for North Cornwall, said on Twitter there should be a national database "like we do with guns".

His tweet has attracted more than 3,600 comments, with some saying Mr Mann was "not the sharpest knife in the drawer".

New figures show knife crime in England and Wales is at its highest for nine years.

Mr Mann's Tweet reads: "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, obvious exemptions for fishing etc."

But Twitter users were quick to highlight the flaws in the former postal worker's plan.

Comedy writer James Felton commented: "There are 66 million people in the UK. If every one of them owns just one knife that's 66 million knives to keep track of."

Several people pointed out that every knife would require charging.

Hundreds of others poked fun at Mr Mann's suggestion.

Shane Telford suggested that tea spoons should also be tracked to prevent them getting lost.

The MP's comments follow a spate of fatal stabbings in England, including the killings of three 17-year-olds in less than a week earlier this month.

On Wednesday, it was announced the government had pledged an extra £100m to help police tackle knife crime.

The BBC contacted Mr Mann's constituency office, but he did not wish to comment.