I know Tony Blair has a lot on his mind at the moment, but I hope he makes time soon to discuss child snatchers with John Reid – and makes it a top priority.

Amazingly, strangers who abduct or try to snatch children are not placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and the York Press has actively been campaiging for the law to be changed on this.

Blair visited York this week and expressed “sympathy” towards the campaign.

Julian Sturdy, who is contesting the new York Outer seat, is urging Blair to keep his word and come back with an answer by the autumn.

There can only be one answer. Blair is a father and can surely see that this legal loophole needs to be plugged immediately. A pity it wasn’t included in the first place in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 which is now under review.

The campaign has the full backing of Sara Payne whose daughter was abducted and brutally murdered. Each year in England and Wales, between 5 – 9 children are abducted and killed. Angry mother June Hick is desperate for a change too after the attempted abduction of her daughter.

I do not understand why we rely on newspapers to push for these laws to protect our children when the Government has its own highly paid legal team.

And why does does the Home Office send its Minister Gerry Sutcliffe to America to review the Sexual Offences Act 2003 when we surely have all the answers here, as well as concern and recommendations raised by our own judges?

I’ve just signed the York Press’s petition on this, if you wish to as well, here is the link.