Not sure about the signal to noise ratio on this thread but given that some folks have expressed serious doubts about the "Surrender Your Knife" program it does appear to be real. In fact, there is a whole website dedicated to it:
http://surrenderyourknife.co.uk/

If you take the time to check out the blog section you'll see that the program has been around for a while. But the initial move toward banning "pointy" knives dates back to 2005. I've already posted a link to the BBC website and there's the Guardian story here:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/may/27/ukcrime.prisonsandprobation

And for a quick impression of the yellow press response, here's a one story for starters:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/new...d-machetes.html

Now, it's entirely up to the British to decide what kind of legislation they want. My only concern is that the anti-knife hysteria might gain more ground elsewhere and eventually put me in a position where I could no longer legally own knives that I use daily for all sorts of valid purposes, none of them having anything to do with crime or violence.

Here is a example of a call to 'ban' something, I found last week during my trip in the UK. Pretty sure nobody will put that in legistration.

Calling people to stop carrying things in a context where there is no other use then violence isn't really wrong in my mind.

Chip = Fries (but british, and cut in bigger piece).
Pan = fryer (in this case the old fashion one, you put on a stove)

British need there fish and chips (fried fish and fries)

"It would make more sense calling people to stop using violence for settling disputes."