Anyone who has spent any time with me at all will know that there is nothing on this earth that I hold in greater contempt than politicians. To say that the lunatics are running the asylum is such an understatement that I am rather ashamed to be using the phrase in this context but as this is a family show I have to be circumspect.

The latest bit of madness to come from the Westminster asylum has rendered me all but speechless. It’s to do with trying to control the spate of knife violence that has been going on for a while but the British lefty media has just picked up on. In order to try and curb the problem politicians have decide to go after the knives rather that the twats that are sticking them in each other. I have carried a knife for over 40 years now and nobody has ever been stabbed (well actually I have but that’s a whole other story). My grandfather taught me how to carve wood with a pocket knife at 6-7 years old and you will never find me without a knife. Now I do appreciate that nobody in modern Britain needs to walk around with an 18″ Bowie knife but they do have their uses, just not in the hands of inner city children who have no moral compass.

In typical style, politicians have got the cart in front of the horse and the proposed legislation – The Offensive Weapons Bill – to be debated upon the return from parliment’s insane extended summer holiday ????????? (I thought only kids got that, don’t grownups work?) and in particular article 15 proposes that no “BLADED” products can be sold other than face to face (no mail order) and anyone doing so will be committing an offence punishable by a year in prison.

The long and the short of that is you will no longer be able to buy knives, scissors, carving tools or any kind of edge bearing bonsai tools other than in bricks and mortar stores which largely do not exist in bonsai here any more. This article has HUGE potential repercussions for business and industry and will destroy the business of everyone from high end artisan knife makers to lowly folk like those here at Kaizen Bonsai. Without sales of tools, knives and other bladed products kaizen Bonsai will almost certainly be closing our doors along with a good few of our suppliers.

In an attempt to stop this bit of insanity we are asking you to stand up and sign a petition, simple enough right? Just fill in the form and reply to the subsequent email.

Remove article 15 of the Offensive Weapons Bill (HC Bill 232)

The Bill Committee convenes after the summer recess and we need a considerable number of signatures that will force article 15 to be replaced with a sensible solution. Please click the link above, sign the petition and then click the link it will email you to confirm your support. The share this with anyone and everyone you know, somebody has to stand up for the right thinking, sane and honest people of Britain.

G.

ARTICLE 15 LOOKS LIKE THIS…..

15 Delivery of bladed products to residential premises etc

(1) 30This section applies if—

(a) a person (“the seller”) sells a bladed product to another person (“the
buyer”), and

(b) the seller and the buyer are not in each other’s presence at the time of
the sale.

(2) 35The seller commits an offence if, for the purposes of supplying the bladed
product to the buyer, the seller delivers the bladed product, or arranges for its
delivery, to residential premises.

(3) The seller commits an offence if, for the purposes of supplying the bladed
product to the buyer, the seller delivers the bladed product, or arranges for its
40delivery, to a locker.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) a person (“A”) is not in the presence of
another person (“B”) at any time if—

(a) where A is an individual, A or a person acting on behalf of A is not in
the presence of B at that time;

(b) 45where A is not an individual, a person acting on behalf of A is not in the
presence of B at that time.

Offensive Weapons BillPage 15

(5) In subsection (2) “residential premises” means premises used solely for
residential purposes.

(6) The circumstances where premises are not residential premises for the
purposes of that subsection include, in particular, where a person carries on a
5business from the premises.

(7) In subsection (3) “locker” means a lockable container to which the bladed
product is delivered with a view to its collection by the buyer, or a person
acting on behalf of the buyer, in accordance with arrangements made between
the seller and the buyer.

(8) 10A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding 51 weeks, to a fine or to both;

(b) on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine not
15exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

(9) In relation to an offence committed before the coming into force of section
281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the reference in subsection (8)(a) to 51
weeks is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

(10) This section is subject to section 16 (defences).

16 20Defences to offence under section 15

(1) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 15 to prove
that they took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to
avoid the commission of the offence.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 15 to prove
25that the bladed product was designed or manufactured for the buyer in
accordance with specifications provided by the buyer.

(3) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 15 to prove
that—

(a) the bladed product was adapted for the buyer before its delivery in
30accordance with specifications provided by the buyer, and

(b) the adaptations were made to enable or facilitate the use of the product
by the buyer or its use for a particular purpose.

(4) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 15 to prove
that they reasonably believed that the buyer bought the bladed product for use
35for relevant sporting purposes or for the purposes of historical re-enactment.

(5) In the application of this section to Scotland references to a person proving a
matter are to be read as references to a person showing a matter.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) a person is to be taken to have shown a
matter mentioned in this section if—

(a) 40sufficient evidence of the matter is adduced to raise an issue with
respect to it, and

(b) the contrary is not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

(7) The appropriate national authority may by regulations provide for other
defences to the offence under section 15.