Government responds to 2023 firearms licensing consultation

[Conor O'Gorman]

The government has today responded to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, which received 91,385 responses.

Click the link below to read the government's response in full

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/firearms-licensing-recommendations-for-changes/outcome/recommended-changes-to-firearms-licensing-government-response-accessible 

BASC has criticised the government’s decision to grant police automatic powers of entry into the homes of firearm certificate holders as unnecessary and an erosion of civil liberties. The police already have powers of entry to prevent crime and if life is in danger. They can also get a warrant from a magistrate and they can revoke a person’s shotgun or firearm certificate, making their possession of guns illegal. This power of entry was opposed by 80.7 per cent of respondents to the consultation.

Also announced was the government’s intention to launch a new consultation later this year on whether controls on higher-powered firearm should be applied to lower powered shotguns. The government has refused to make the placing of a marker on the medical notes of certificate holders mandatory for general practitioners; despite 83 per cent of respondents supporting this proposal.

Click the link below for more reaction from BASC

https://basc.org.uk/basc-condemns-government-decision-on-police-entry/ 

 

[ShootingEgg]

This morning the government fired the starting gun on a debate about restrictions on the ownership of shotguns. It has said that it will consult on “aligning the controls on shotguns with other firearms”. This is a proposal that has long been championed by gun control campaigners and their supporters in the Labour Party.

So apart from just condemning it, are BASC going to set up some kind of robust response to this blatant attack on our way of life.

Edited February 13 by ShootingEgg
Added more text

[Rob85]

27 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

This morning the government fired the starting gun on a debate about restrictions on the ownership of shotguns. It has said that it will consult on “aligning the controls on shotguns with other firearms”. This is a proposal that has long been championed by gun control campaigners and their supporters in the Labour Party.

So apart from just condemning it, are BASC going to set up some kind of robust response to this blatant attack on our way of life.

Maybe they should campaign to align the rest of the UK with exactly the same system as northern ireland....   then yous could get your standard handguns back 😏

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 minute ago, Rob85 said:

Maybe they should campaign to align the rest of the UK with exactly the same system as northern ireland....   then yous could get your standard handguns back 😏

Have you banged your head?

[Conor O'Gorman]

32 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

This morning the government fired the starting gun on a debate about restrictions on the ownership of shotguns. It has said that it will consult on “aligning the controls on shotguns with other firearms”. This is a proposal that has long been championed by gun control campaigners and their supporters in the Labour Party.

So apart from just condemning it, are BASC going to set up some kind of robust response to this blatant attack on our way of life.

That's an initial response within hours of the paper being published. Updates will follow.

[Scully]

8 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

Maybe they should campaign to align the rest of the UK with exactly the same system as northern ireland....   then yous could get your standard handguns back 😏

I’m all for that! 🙂

[Rob85]

4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Have you banged your head?

Been off work with a back injury, maybe the naproxen is affecting my brian power 🤣 

Couldn't expect then to do anything sensible i suppose but like when negotiating a pay deal... aim high! 

My take from this is they are wanting to find a way of extracting more money from you, nothing more. Imagine if they banned you from having guns full stop. Where would their freeloading money come from then?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

2 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

Been off work with a back injury, maybe the naproxen is affecting my brian power 🤣 

Couldn't expect then to do anything sensible i suppose but like when negotiating a pay deal... aim high! 

My take from this is they are wanting to find a way of extracting more money from you, nothing more. Imagine if they banned you from having guns full stop. Where would their freeloading money come from then?

Personally I think it is the next step to stop private ownership of firearms.

[Scully]

6 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

 

My take from this is they are wanting to find a way of extracting more money from you, nothing more. Imagine if they banned you from having guns full stop. Where would their freeloading money come from then?

My thoughts also. After all, it’s not like the S1 requirement has had any effect on armed crime in the past, is it? 🤔

The only way to end crime with legally held firearms is to ban them all. 

The entire matter of firearms legislation needs a massive injection of common sense, but unfortunately we’re totally powerless to do anything about any of it. 
 

Edited February 13 by Scully

[ShootingEgg]

24 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Personally I think it is the next step to stop private ownership of firearms.

I think you've hit the nail on the head right there.

[Smudger687]

1 hour ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

That's an initial response within hours of the paper being published. Updates will follow.

Remember when I said BASC should be on the attack against the good reason requirement? Remember when I said that gun "rights" are being eroded over time and that unless we pushed back against it we would continue to lose?

Oh well that's too late now, I guess we can just get some more managed decline as per usual 

[Weihrauch17]

3 hours ago, ShootingEgg said:

This morning the government fired the starting gun on a debate about restrictions on the ownership of shotguns. It has said that it will consult on “aligning the controls on shotguns with other firearms”. This is a proposal that has long been championed by gun control campaigners and their supporters in the Labour Party.

So apart from just condemning it, are BASC going to set up some kind of robust response to this blatant attack on our way of life.

They will do a survey, that will sort it!

[Conor O'Gorman]

1 hour ago, Smudger687 said:

Remember when I said BASC should be on the attack against the good reason requirement? Remember when I said that gun "rights" are being eroded over time and that unless we pushed back against it we would continue to lose?

Oh well that's too late now, I guess we can just get some more managed decline as per usual 

Thanks. My thoughts on that are as follows. What 'gun rights'? Attacking 'who'? And on what basis are we attacking 'them'?

[Konor]

4 minutes ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Thanks. My thoughts on that are as follows. What 'gun rights'? Attacking 'who'? And on what basis are we attacking 'them'?

As usual finger on the pulse and in tune with the average shooting man or alternatively if free meals and shooting opportunities are insufficient to sway opinion in our favour then we’ll have to have you sign a petition or write to your M.P.  😁

[Konor]

Let the Government assess the cost of compensating owners for the devaluation or loss of their property brought about by their proposed new laws prior to their final decision. Compensation to match present market value before it free falls even lower than at present. On the plus side a strong fight by BASC and a successful outcome might win over those who due to the lead shot debacle consider them rightly or wrongly not fit for purpose.

[Petay]

I suspect this will result in at minimum the banning of 2+1 pumps and Semis on an SGC. 
 

I agree the longer term plan will be to totally remove private ownership of firearms in this country but it’ll be done in a way that devalues the market so as to greatly reduce any compensation they have to pay when they finally push for the total ban. 
 

Sadly the shooting community as a whole will find little to no sympathy from the wider public as we’re mostly made up of a demographic that’s become trendy to hate in wider society now days. 
 

 

[Smudger687]

1 hour ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Thanks. My thoughts on that are as follows. What 'gun rights'? Attacking 'who'? And on what basis are we attacking 'them'?

I have told you on more than one occasion that unless BASC (given that you are the largest shooting org in the UK) takes substantive steps to remove the barriers to gun ownership, then it is only a matter of time before we all lose everything, given that gun control is slowly creeping ever further. I also suggested on more than one occasion that removing the "good reason" requirement would be a good start. Yet every time I mention this I get the company man non-response. 

We have the best politicians that money can buy; the fact that not a single one of them in this government or the last was calling for looser gun laws tells me that BASC is not applying its resources and influence well enough. 
 

[Weihrauch17]

53 minutes ago, Smudger687 said:

I have told you on more than one occasion that unless BASC (given that you are the largest shooting org in the UK) takes substantive steps to remove the barriers to gun ownership, then it is only a matter of time before we all lose everything, given that gun control is slowly creeping ever further. I also suggested on more than one occasion that removing the "good reason" requirement would be a good start. Yet every time I mention this I get the company man non-response. 

We have the best politicians that money can buy; the fact that not a single one of them in this government or the last was calling for looser gun laws tells me that BASC is not applying its resources and influence well enough. 
 

You are correct, I sacked it off probably 20 years ago.   They are woke and clueless and have no interest in shooting sports just their salaries and company cars.

[Conor O'Gorman]

12 hours ago, Smudger687 said:

I have told you on more than one occasion that unless BASC (given that you are the largest shooting org in the UK) takes substantive steps to remove the barriers to gun ownership, then it is only a matter of time before we all lose everything, given that gun control is slowly creeping ever further. I also suggested on more than one occasion that removing the "good reason" requirement would be a good start. Yet every time I mention this I get the company man non-response. 

We have the best politicians that money can buy; the fact that not a single one of them in this government or the last was calling for looser gun laws tells me that BASC is not applying its resources and influence well enough. 
 

BASC's resources depend largely on its membership - are you a member?

11 hours ago, Weihrauch17 said:

You are correct, I sacked it off probably 20 years ago.   They are woke and clueless and have no interest in shooting sports just their salaries and company cars.

That's nonsense and well you know it. I think it rather obsessive to be BASC-bashing continually on this forum year after year, not least if you joined another organisation 20 years ago. Are you satisfied with the organisation you are a member of? If so, why not share updates from them on this and other key issues?

[Smudger687]

7 minutes ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

BASC's resources depend largely on its membership - are you a member?

You know full well I'm a member. I can see I'm getting the usual company man non-responses again. 

Disappointing, but not unexpected.

[Conor O'Gorman]

31 minutes ago, Smudger687 said:

You know full well I'm a member. I can see I'm getting the usual company man non-responses again. 

Disappointing, but not unexpected.

Thanks, not sure how I am supposed to know 'full well' that you are a member - not least when you use the language 'you' for BASC rather than 'we'. Furthermore, you are getting same day replies from me on a forum. I'd say that's good service and certainly not 'company man non-responses'. 

[Old farrier]

1 hour ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Thanks, not sure how I am supposed to know 'full well' that you are a member - not least when you use the language 'you' for BASC rather than 'we'. Furthermore, you are getting same day replies from me on a forum. I'd say that's good service and certainly not 'company man non-responses'. 

Just a gentle reminder that this is a public forum where you are posting information I assume to gain more members or inform non members of what is happening 

I see you posting (are you a member) frequently so can only assume your posts are actually a sales pitch ?

as I see it everyone is entitled to a public opinion and to question the content of a Post and get a public reply for the other members to see 

no point in 20 people asking the same question 

 

so is it information your posting or a sales pitch for your employer?

Just my thoughts 

of 

[Gas seal]

Hi Conor thanks for the information. I’ve never known so much going on regarding all types of shooting. When the license changed from the post office to the police licence it was the lady in the post office that told me about it. I got the forms from the police station for myself and my brother, l took them to my doctor ( didn’t need an appointment) got them signed, back to the police station payed two pounds and the receipts were the licences until we got the new license in the post.

 

I don’t think we have ever had a right to own a firearm, or as they are referred to as weapons. More to it now to renew or apply for a licence. Dad always told me after the war that the government didn’t want civilians to own firearms, no change then, we didn’t know what a the internet or a civil rights lawyer was then.

 

[cyberduck]

Haven't seen this in the response to the consultation, but seems to be going a whole lot further and will pretty much be the end of shooting:

 

https://apple.news/Ajdg2QwKKQZuwqSCZvb8LWw

 

"As tractor protesters gatecrash the PM in Milton Keynes, ministers are looking at the ‘risks of keeping shotguns at home’"

[Scully]

18 minutes ago, cyberduck said:

Haven't seen this in the response to the consultation, but seems to be going a whole lot further and will pretty much be the end of shooting:

 

https://apple.news/Ajdg2QwKKQZuwqSCZvb8LWw

 

"As tractor protesters gatecrash the PM in Milton Keynes, ministers are looking at the ‘risks of keeping shotguns at home’"

All part of the same policy as started by the OP. 
If farmers ( or anyone else for that matter) are prevented from keeping firearms at home then they may as well be banned as what is the point or logic in keeping them anywhere else? 
Totally impractical and irrational. Ridiculous comment by some empty headed loon.