Last updated at 14:16, Wednesday, 04 January 2012

IT’S tougher to buy children’s medicine than bullets, an MP has claimed.

Copeland MP Jamie Reed has hit out at the government’s lack of action to reform gun laws in light of the West Cumbrian shootings of 2010 and Monday’s brutal shootings in County Durham.

Taxi driver Michael Atherton shot and killed his partner Susan McGoldrick, her sister Alison Turnbull, 44, and her niece Tanya Turnbull, 24, before turning the gun on himself.

Following the deaths of 13 people by Bird in June 2010, politicians in the House of Commons led a series of debates discussing gun control orders and a series of recommendations were made.

The Home Affairs committee recommended simpler and tighter guidelines, including more control by police on granting shotgun licences to former criminals and suggested consulting wives and partners of applicants.

But despite the recommendations David Cameron has not yet made amendments to legislation. Mr Reed said: “Responsible firearms owners deserve better, but most of all the public deserves better.

“It is still harder to buy Calpol for a poorly child than it is to buy bullets.

“What the motives are behind the prime minister’s refusal to implement sensible change remain to be seen, but in any event the safety of the public must come first.”

Mr Reed argued by failing to clampdown on gun ownership Mr Cameron had left the door open for similar atrocities.

He said: “This latest tragedy has regrettably again demonstrated deficiencies in the law and the implementation of the law surrounding gun ownership is sadly not surprising. The need for urgent, sensible change following our own tragedy was obvious.

“The country’s top police officers urged change in the government, the Home Affairs committee has advocated change and yet the government deliberately and purposefully resists change.

“This does go straight to the prime minister.

“I have asked him about implementation of the APCO recommendations at Prime Minister’s Questions, as usual, he refuses to engage with the question or give anything like an answer.”

Barrow and Furness MP, John Woodcock, said: “Britain has one of the world’s most stringent gun licensing systems, which includes background checks on people to show they pose no threat to public safety, yet tragedies continue to occur. The recommendations of the Home Affairs select committee gun law review, which was carried out in the wake of the Derrick Bird killings of June 2010, should be implemented as soon as possible.”

Liberal Democrat party president and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, backed Mr Reed’s call for tighter laws.

He said: “All of the Home Office review into firearms rules must beimplemented.”

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The prime minister’s thoughts are with the family and friends of those affected by the tragic events in Horden. It would be inappropriate for us to comment further while the police investigation is ongoing, but no one should be in any doubt the government’s and prime minister’s first duty and highest priority is the protection of the public. UK firearms laws are among the toughest in the world while also ensuring controls are practical and proportionate.”

First published at 13:07, Wednesday, 04 January 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk