THE PRIME Minister has backed calls to introduce a six-month jail sentence for people carrying knives after an Enfield gang stabbing on Saturday.

Two rival gangs – carrying guns, machetes and hammers – chased each other through shops in Hertford Road after a fight broke out in a chicken shop, before a 16-year-old boy was stabbed in the hand causing a serious injury.

Harrow East MP Bob Blackman asked David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon whether this latest attack, as well as one in his own constituency two weeks ago, showed that it was time for people caught with knives to be jailed.

Mr Cameron said: “It is important we send a clear message about this – we are doing this with a new offence that carries a mandatory sentence and that is a signal to anyone that is contemplating carrying a knife.

“But to look at this purely from a criminal justice situation isn't the answer – we need to ask ourselves why are so many young children joining gangs, and why are their families not doing more to prevent them carrying knives?”

The Prime Minister made a pledge backing the idea in June, after criticism that his Government was too soft on sentencing.

Enfield North MP Nick de Bois told the Enfield Independent yesterday that he would write to the Justice Secretary to push for the six-month sentence to be enshrined in law.

Saturday's attack comes just two weeks after hundreds of teenagers marched through Edmonton to protest against gun and knife crime and the postcode war between N9 and N18 gangs that is blighting the east side of the borough.

Enfield Police arrested seven men aged between 15 and 25 in relation to the fight – all have been released on bail.

Detectives are keeping an open mind about the motive of the attack but said that gang-related activity was one line of enquiry.

Anyone with information should call Detective Sergeant Tony Killeen of Enfield CID on 0208 345 4334 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.