KNIVES ARE COOL: TORY
By James Lyons 7/08/2008
EXCLUSIVE
A tory councillor caused outrage by claiming knives are "cool" and posting footage of fights on his internet blog.
Teacher Philip Thomas, 27, boasted he has "a huge meat cleaver and two massive machetes" he bought "as much because I found them cool as their practical use".
He threatened to use them on burglars and said: "In foolish moments..I wave them around and make swishing noises". He posted links to graphic films on YouTube of a "road rage" incident and "a boxer" beating up two men.
Mr Thomas, who represents Pontefract North on Wakefield council, West Yorks, said his behaviour was "stupid but pretty innocent".
He also called Lyn Costello, co-founder of Mothers Against Murder, a "shrill zealot" for criticising a judge who produced a knife in court. Lyn, whose campaigning work is backed by the Home Office, called on Tory leader David Cameron to sack him.
She said: "He is an idiot. Children are killing children at the rate of one a week and he is suggesting swishing knives around. The man is brainless."
The Council leader Labour's Peter Box said he should quit, adding: "The glorification of violence is all the more offensive when it comes from a teacher and supposed community leader.
Mr Thomas said: "I'm just going to say no comment."
NB: This kind of behaviour makes the jobs of all support groups more difficult, we are all trying to find solutions to knife crime and a lot of that involves going into schools talking to young people about the dangers and consequences of carrying and using weapons, hard enough to get into some schools without teachers like this. Dee - MAMAA |
