Two regional press campaigns fighting for legislation to outlaw the carrying of knives have received support from politicians.

Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown has backed the Southern Daily Echo’s campaign to rid the city’s streets of knives.

The paper’s campaign was launched following the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Lewis Singleton, on March 31 in Southampton, and of Dele Little, (15), in Totton in February.

On a visit to the city, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said: “Carrying knives is unacceptable. We must do everything we can to stop any sort of this antisocial behaviour.

“It’s unacceptable teenagers are carrying weapons that can be used against other people.

“That’s why I support the Daily Echo’s campaign.”

The Shields Gazette’s Knives Ruin Lives was launched last month to coincide with a knife amnesty by police in South Tyneside.

Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn and his South Shields counterpart, David Miliband, have backed the campaign, joining Susanne Hilton, the mother of Glen Corner – who was stabbed to death on his 16th birthday in South Tyneside.

The Gazette is calling for tougher deterrents for people caught carrying blades, including automatic jail sentences and making it illegal to carry folding pocket knives.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker praised the campaign during a meeting in the House of Commons, describing Knives Ruin Lives as “the sort of community initiative we need”.

His remarks came after the campaign – calling for offenders convicted of carrying a knife to get an automatic jail sentence – was mentioned by Mr Hepburn.

He asked whether or not the minister would welcome the Knives Ruin Lives campaign and asked whether he agreed the only way to “tackle this blight on our streets” was to ensure anyone convicted of carrying a knife was jailed.

In his reply, Mr Coaker said: “I am happy to congratulate the Gazette on its Knives Ruin Lives campaign in Jarrow and beyond.

“That is just the sort of community initiative we need.

“Of course, it is up to the Government to pass tough laws and see that they are enforced, which is what we want.

“The community and media must also take action, however, and we must all work together to show that the knife culture in certain parts of some of our communities is not acceptable, and that we will take steps to deal with it.”

Gazette editor John Szymanski said: “The knife culture on our streets is both worrying and frightening – and radical measures need to be introduced before it escalates further and more lives are lost or irreparably damaged.

“We want courts to get tough on people carrying knives, and this will, in turn, send out a warning signal to others who still think it is acceptable to carry lethal weapons on the streets.

“The Gazette welcomes Mr Coaker’s comments about our campaign and we will continue to press for stronger action so that communities can feel safer.”