Local MPs are right to take a stand in the growing struggle against rising gun crime, but, while their calls for more armed police grabbed the headlines, their demands for tougher international controls were, conveniently for the Government, largely ignored.

MPs accepted that we cannot fully tackle gun crime in this country unless we stop the guns flowing in. Many of these guns are converted replicas, but many are fully functional weapons exported from countries awash with guns.

Incredibly, there are no binding international controls on the arms trade.

It should therefore come as no surprise that our porous borders allow weapons to flood on to our streets and into the wrong hands.

If the Government is serious about tackling the problem, it cannot take only domestic measures it must also crack down on British arms dealers and back an international arms trade treaty. This could stop guns going to foreign war zones and, just as vitally, help stem the tide of foreign guns flooding British streets and costing British lives.

The arms trade is out of control. Every year throughout the world, more than half a million people are killed by armed violence that's one person every minute. You can help bring this crisis under control. Join the Million Faces petition: http://www.controlarms.org/go/ join/

Oxfam works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

S Jenkinson

Oxfam Campaigns

Oxfam Campaigns South West

Brunswick Court

Brunswick Square

Bristol