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Damilola Taylor's father calls for violent game tax

Anti-knife crime activist calls from prohibitive tax against "too cheap" games

Richard Taylor, father of murdered ten-year-old Damilola Taylor, has said he will advise Gordon Brown to institute a videogames sales tax as part of a wider move against knife crime.

Describing violent videogames as "too cheap", Taylor blames them for negatively influencing children's behaviours and told MPs that taxes on them should be "very high".

"I have young people who I mentor and I see them go up and buy the games and it saddens me that they are being able to have such a negative impact," he the told Home Affairs Committee, according to the Telegraph.

Taylor, whose son was a victim of knife crime and has since been an advisor to the Prime Minister on the topic, also levied criticism at rap music, especially that which comes out of the US.

"It is creating more of a problem because of the language that is used. It is language that, as a father, I would not allow my children to hear," he said in front of MPs.

"To me, there is a lot of negativity that comes out of this music, especially that which is coming from America."

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James Lee

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