Theresa May demands action on firearms trafficking after Paris attacks

Home Secretary Theresa May has called for urgent action to clamp down on illegal arms trafficking in Europe in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

Arriving in Brussels for an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers, Mrs May said there was a "clear link" between the security of the EU's external borders and security within the bloc.

Following the attacks in the French capital which left 129 dead, she said there now needed to be "accelerated progress" on an EU-wide agreement on tackling the illicit trade in firearms.

"There was a clear link between security of the EU's external borders and security within the EU," she said.

"I would like to see all member states committed to improving the measures and penalties for dealing with those who traffic in firearms."

Mrs May said that there also needed to be "immediate progress" on obtaining access to passenger name records.

"The negotiation has taken too long. That must be concluded. The UK will go ahead with obtaining records from those operating to and from the United Kingdom," she said.