UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Home Secretary Yvette Cooper introduces stricter shotgun licence rules after the 2021 Plymouth tragedy, including two referees and domestic abuse checks.
As reported by The Telegraph, Yvette Cooper will tighten firearms licensing laws from Tuesday, following a deadly gun rampage in Plymouth four years ago.
What are the new UK laws for shotgun licences?
Under the new rules, shotgun licence applicants must now provide two referees who have known them for more than two years, doubling the current requirement of just one.
New Home Office reforms will bring shotgun regulations in line with existing controls for other types of firearms.
As part of the new measures, police officers will be urged to contact family members to assess whether applicants pose a risk of domestic violence.
Police must now contact an applicant’s partner and household members. This helps check for any history of domestic abuse or warning signs.
The government is set to publish new guidance to assist police in determining who is fit to hold a firearm or shotgun licence.
Under the revised rules, police must now conduct more thorough background checks. This ensures people with violent or criminal histories don’t get gun licences.
Diana Johnson’s views on shotgun licensing reforms
Diana Johnson, the policing minister, highlighted the tragic 2020 shooting in Woodmancote, West Sussex, where a mother and her two children were killed.
She said,
“Only those who meet the highest standards of safety and responsibility should be permitted to use shotguns or firearms, and it is crucial that police have full information about the suitability of all applicants for these lethal weapons.”
Ms Johnson stated,
“The events in Woodmancote in 2020, Plymouth in 2021, and other cases provide a tragic reminder of what can happen when these weapons are in the hands of the wrong people, and we must do everything we can to protect the public.”
She said,
“That is why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are giving the police the tools and resources they need to make safe, timely and consistent decisions when it comes to firearms licensing.”
Ms Johnson added,
“This is just one part of our mission to make our streets safer. We will also launch a public consultation on the controls on shotguns and other firearms issues later this year.”
What did Tim Bonner say about the new UK gun rules?
Tim Bonner, CEO of Countryside Alliance, said, ‘
“We support these changes to guidance which align some of the rules for shotguns and other firearms.”
He stated,
“They should make it less likely that licences are granted to the wrong people. None of this will, however, make any difference where the licensing system fails, as it did in Plymouth and has done far too often elsewhere.”
Mr Bonner said,
“There can be no justification for further restricting gun ownership and the Government must address the fundamental question of why we have an antiquated system with 43 separate licensing authorities, too many of which are not fit for purpose.”
He added,
“The public and gun owners want a system that does not put guns in the hands of people who should never have had a licence.”
What did Emma Ambler say about the new gun law changes?
Emma Ambler began campaigning for stricter firearm laws after her twin sister, Kelly Fitzgibbons, and two young nieces, Ava and Lexi Needham, were killed in 2020 with a legally owned gun.
She said,
“I’m really pleased that the Government is strengthening the current firearms licensing guidance. Although there is still some way to go, these changes are very welcome and it is pleasing to finally feel listened to after five years of campaigning to make the system safer.”
Ms Ambler added,
“I still believe that holding a gun licence is a privilege and not a right. The priority has to be the safety of society, and it’s so important to stop these extremely dangerous weapons falling into the wrong hands, which these changes will go some way to doing.”
Key facts about the Plymouth tragedy
- Shooter: Jake Davison, 22, killed five people (including his mother) and injured two others in Plymouth before taking his own life.
- Gun licensing failure: Police had returned his shotgun weeks earlier despite his violent past and mental health issues.
- Online extremism: Davison followed incel views, leading to debate on whether it was terrorism.
- Reforms: The attack led to calls for tighter gun laws and better police training on gun licensing.