Vaz brings another anti-gaming Early Day Motion

Labour MP Keith Vaz has raised his second anti-games Early Day Motion of the year, this time linking video games to a spate of shootings in Sweden last month.

Earlier this month Swedish police arrested a 38-year-old man, whose motivation was thought to be racial. That is, unless you’re Keith Vaz, who for reasons best known to himself chooses to believe that the crimes were linked to 1999 online PC shooter Counter Strike.

That this House notes with concern that the recent race shootings in Malmo, Sweden have been associated with the violent video game Counter-Strike,” Vaz claims, as spotted by Gamer’s Voice.

Further notes that the internet-based, first-person shooting game that pits a counter-terrorist team against terrorists was previously banned in Brazil and in 2007 was associated with US College Campus massacres; recognises the potential impact of violent video games on those under 18 years.

I call on the Government to ensure the purchase of video games by those under 18 years is controlled and that parents are provided with clear information on the violent content of certain games.”

The only other link between the Malmo shootings as the Half-Life mod was a passing reference made in The Times.

In July of this year Vaz tabled a similar Early Day Motion calling for the Government to take further steps to highlight the inappropriate content of these games for under 18s”. Of course, by this stage the Government had already nailed down its plans to make PEGI age ratings legally enforceable.