Police 'should raid schools and detain pupils who carry knives'

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The Mayor suggested that fingerprinting and DNA profiling could be used to help to identify youngsters who threw away weapons. He also called for tougher sentencing for those involved in stabbings to prevent others going down the same route.

However, there are likely to be concerns over the civil liberties implications of his proposals for schools.

Mr Livingstone told LBC radio: "So many kids now are carrying a knife because they think someone else might try and stab them and, of course, very often they end up being stabbed with their own knife.

"I think you need a really high-profile crackdown and I'd be quite prepared where we know some schools have a particular problem - as long as the teachers and parents are up for this - you suddenly flood the school with police and you arrest everyone carrying a knife.

"I know a lot of them will drop them on the ground but with fingerprints, DNA profiling, we'll identify most of the people carrying those knives."

He added: "Judges have got to recognise the need for exemplary sentencing to get the message home - carry a knife, you'll go to prison. You can't carry a knife then expect to get 20 hours community service."

The Mayor was accused of insensitivity to the families of two teenagers stabbed to death last week when he declared that "if it bleeds, it leads" the news. His aides said he made the comments before he had heard about the murders.

Mr Livingstone admitted there would be civil liberties concerns over his proposals on knife crime. There could also be legal issues as police must arrest suspects before taking fingerprints or DNA swabs.

Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said the support of local communities was more important, adding: "The way to tackle gun and knife crime is not to demonise young people but to rebuild trust between police and the community."

LBC 97.3's Nick Ferrari, in association with Evening Standard, hosts the first live radio debate with the three main mayoral candidates on 10 April from 8am-10am.