The arms trade is out of control.

There are around 639 million small arms and light weapons in the world today. Eight million more are produced every year.

Guns have never been so easy to obtain. Without strict control these weapons will continue to fuel violent conflict, state repression, crime, and domestic abuse.

The global arms trade that brings these weapons into the hands of killers is big business. Per year, the value of global authorised arms exports is $21 billion.

From the inner cities of Britain to the pastoralist communities of Kenya, gun culture is on the increase.

We all have a part to play. How many of you have stocks in weapons manuafacturers? How many of you have Ethical Investments. If you really think about the links can be rather disturbing.

Last week I attended a Student Union Council at Southampton University. The students were concerned about the University's shareholding in BAE and The Smiths Group. Both these companies make weapons. What was more worrying was the fact that the University Pension Scheme in England (PASNAS) is a BIG investor, but lets not single them out, most pension scheme portfolios in the UK and around the world will be big investors!

I'm not against guns. I've been to the USA a few times and i've been to gun ranges and I have loved it! Shooting is a sport. But its a sport that can so easily be abused.

I am against the proliferation of weapons into the hands in dictactorships, mercenaries, criminals and countries with human rights abuses...

Look back at the children at the top of this blog again.

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