Mick Hartley

Headlines everywhere about the danger of buying knives:

People trying to buy knives online will face tougher measures to prove their age under new restrictions being brought forward in the wake of the Southport knife attack.

Axel Rudakubana, who has admitted murdering three young girls last July, bought a knife from Amazon when he was just 17, despite existing laws which prohibit the sale of most knives to under-18s.

Online retailers will be forced to ask anyone buying a knife for two types of identification under government plans, with buyers asked to submit an identity document, such as a passport, and record a live video to prove their age.

Amazon has said it takes its "responsibility around the sale of all age-restricted items – including bladed products – extremely seriously" and has launched an investigation.

In an opinion piece for The Sun newspaper, external, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote that it "remains shockingly easy for our children to get their hands on deadly knives".

"The lessons of this case could not be clearer," he said.

"Time and again, as a child, the Southport murderer carried knives. Time and again, he showed clear intent to use them.

"And yet tragically, he was still able to order the murder weapon off the internet without any checks or barriers. A two-click killer. This cannot continue."

The lessons of this case could indeed not be clearer. It's about people getting radicalised by Islamist ideology, and the failure of the government agencies such as Prevent to do their jobs. It's also about the determination of the government not to confront the problem but to do everything in its power to throw up distractions like this. Yes, fine, make it harder for kids to get knives – but every kitchen has big sharp knives.

They're not the hardest objects to get hold of. They're not guns.