Euro MP signs death penalty petition

Euro-MP Paul Nuttall

Local MEP Paul Nuttall has signed a controversial e-petition calling for MPs to reinstate the death penalty.

The online petition has been launched by political blogger Guido Fawkes with the aim of attracting the necessary 100,000 signatures to trigger action.

"I am in favour of restoring the death penalty for child and serial killers," explained Mr Nuttall, UKIP Euro-MP for the North West.

"I think capital punishment is needed for such heinous crimes and I know that many other people feel the same. A YouGov poll last year found that 74% of people supported the death penalty for murder in some circumstances.

"Generally too much attention is paid to the so called 'human rights' of offenders, what about the rights of victims and their families?”

If the e-petition collects the number of signatures it will be considered by a committee of back bench MPs, who have the power to allocate debating time in the House.

Mr Nuttall, added: "I am sure that enough signatures will be garnered and it is such an important issue that it should be allocated time for debate by all MPs.

"Child and serial killers are never safe to be released back into society and quite frankly keeping them behind bars till they die is a waste of taxpayers’ money. They forfeit any rights when they murder innocents."