TORY Nigel Evans is counter-attacking to defend Action Man.

The Ribble Valley MP says parents have the right to buy toy guns and war toys for their children in the run-up to Christmas.

A total of 43 Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have backed a Commons motion which blames such toys for encouraging violent behaviour in males.

London left-winger Tony Banks, who proposed the motion, has criticised the soldier toy Action Man - 30 years old this week - and says toys and other violent games begin "a process of brutalisation" which leads to undesirable behaviour in later life.

In response to the motion, the Labour leadership indicated that it might restrict the sale of such items in the wake of the Dunblane massacre.

The MPs have called for a ban on the advertising of war toys which could encourage violence.

But Mr Evans branded the motion "absolutely ludicrous". He said: "I do not believe for one moment that boys' toys have anything to do with crime or violence in later life.

"Banning the sale of Action Man because the toy may lead children to violence is on a par with banning Scalextric because it may lead children to go joy-riding.

"Where will it all end? Next we will have to ban comics or model planes.

"This really is taking the nanny state to the final degree.

"There is absolutely no proven link between the toys that boys use and violence in later life."

The 43 MPs call for a study into the "likely connection" between war toys and male violence.

They congratulate Selfridges on its decision not to sell toy hand guns and urge all parents not to buy war toys or games portraying violence as Christmas presents.

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