The Metropolitan Police have used Taser stun guns on suspects almost 100 times in just ten months.

Opposition MPs criticised the increasing use of the guns, as Home Office figures revealed police were increasingly turning to the controversial weapons.

Human rights campaigners Amnesty claims the weapons have been linked to more than 50 deaths in the United States.

But the they are increasingly being used in Britain too.

Taser guns fire two electric barbs up to 35 feet and deliver a painful and disabling shock, rendering the victim unable to control their movements.

The Met has fired barbs into people 90 over ten months.

The figure comes from comparing the latest statistics released by the Home Office, which cover the period up to March this year, with last year’s statistics, which cover the period to May 2008.

London’s police force has also delivered “drive-stuns", in which the weapon is simply pressed against an individual's skin and a shock is administered, on nine occasions in the same period.

Tasers were used in some from by the Metropolitan police on 381 occasions in the ten month period.

This includes incidents when the weapon was simply drawn, as well as when it was aimed at a suspect but not fired.

By contrast, in the entire four years from April 2004 to May 2008, the Met used Tasers just 429 times.

The increase reflects changes the rules governing Taser use introduced by the Government, which meant specially-trained front-line officers – not just firearms officers – were allowed to use them.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) said: “Tasers should be for a few specially trained officers, not standard issue.

“The Government has put large numbers of Tasers in the hands of police officers without any debate.

“Given the increase in Taser use and the fact they have killed hundreds of people in the United States, we must have a full public debate before we slip any further down the slope to fully armed US-style policing.”

Policing, Crime and Security Minister David Hanson MP said: "Tasers are a vital tool for our frontline officers and that is why we allowed forces to issue them to specially-trained units.

“They are making a real difference on our streets and helping to keep both the public and our police officers safe.

“Tasers have helped defuse dangerous situations where people could have been seriously injured or even killed.

"And often just the threat of the device is enough. On many occasions, drawing or aiming a Taser has proved enough of a deterrent.”

Amnesty published a report in December last year warning that a Taser was “a dangerous weapon”.

It said at the time: “The UK Government has to commit to ensuring that Tasers are only used in life-threatening situations and that they are given to a small number of specialist officers.  Otherwise the consequences could well be disastrous.”

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