New gun law to leave farmers defenceless 

The Government is considering stricter shotgun regulations following the 2021 Plymouth shooting, when six people were killed by a legally owned firearm. One proposal under review is the requirement for shotguns to be stored away from owners’ homes, possibly in gunshops (News, 14 May). This has raised alarm among rural organisations. They argue that such changes would hinder farmers’ ability to respond promptly to threats from predators like foxes and dogs, especially during weekends when access to off-site storage could be restricted. 

More than 500,000 shotgun owners in Britain, primarily in rural areas, rely on these firearms for various purposes, including despatching diseased or injured livestock and controlling predators. Shotguns are regulated under the Firearms Act 1968. 

However, the proposed reclassification of shotguns as section 1 firearms would impose stricter licensing criteria similar to rifles. Critics of the proposed changes argue that the issue lies not with the current laws but with the administration of the licensing system. Many advocate for a centralised and digitised firearms licensing authority to replace the fragmented police-run process, aiming to improve public safety without compromising rural needs.

Countryside Alliance director Jake Swindells highlighted the potential impact of the proposal: “To some, a shotgun is a wildly misunderstood piece of equipment, yet it is a daily part of rural life across the UK and is relied upon to control predators that would otherwise desecrate lambs and endangered species, such as lapwing and curlew. 

“If a shotgun has to be stored away from a farmer’s home address, it means they may have to watch their flock being torn to pieces from Saturday evening before being able to access their shotgun at the gunshop at 9am on Monday morning.” 

Estate manager Rory Kennedy added: “While unlikely, the concept of requiring any legal guns to be stored at a registered firearms dealer defies all pragmatic understanding of how people engage in their legal sport. When you then consider hardworking keepers and farmers, who have such blurred lines between working and home hours, even the mere discussion highlights the gulf of understanding between bumbling urban bureaucrats and the realities of those delivering rural land management and conservation.” 

Engage with your local MP by sharing your views and concerns to influence the legislative process. For a quick and easy way of doing this, visit bit.ly/firearms25