Brown declares war on gun crime

The Prime Minister also said officers would be given portable computers to cut down on paperwork so they can spend more time on the beat.

Around 1,000 computers are being issued now, and 10,000 will be in use by next year, according to Mr Brown.

He told the Labour conference: "We took the right decision to ban handguns, and now we need to deal with the illegal supply of guns. Two thirds of deaths from gun crime occur in just four cities."

Fears over gun and knife crime have been running high, with a series of high-profile murders of young children and teenagers.

Mr Brown insisted no parent should have to suffer like the family of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot dead in Liverpool last month.

London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Greater Manchester have been identified as areas where urgent action is needed.

Mr Brown said local drives to reduce gun and knife crime would be backed up with national work by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, tightening of smuggling through borders, and education programmes in schools.

Powers allowing police quickly to close down "crack houses" would be rolled out across the country, in a bid to eradicate the "evil of drugs".

However, Mr Brown insisted that changes in social attitudes were also crucial to tackling crime.