Should British Police Be Routinely Armed?

It's a difficult question because our police force (or service as they prefer to be known now because it's less aggressive) have existed through thick and thin without arming themselves for a long time.  It is thought that arming the police would increase the number of armed criminals, although this is somewhat of a chicken and egg situation.

In Northern Ireland, the paramilitaries were engaged in an armed struggle, so that the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) and the Army were obviously armed.  Although it is easily argued that without their armed presence, there would be no need for the paramilitaries to carry weapons.  Nonetheless, to prevent paramilitary groups from injuring and killing people, it was and still is necessary for most police officers to carry firearms, normally a pistol, but occasionally something like an MP5N sub machine gun.

The question remains if we arm our police on the streets of Britain, will the criminals do the same? I think that regardless of what the police do, the criminals are ALREADY arming themselves, gun crime is high and rising and perhaps this should be re-thought.  When I first moved to NI, I was a little worried by the presence of the PSNI being armed.  Rather quickly, I got used to it and it is very rare that we hear of the police having to use their weapons.