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Gun politics in the United Kingdom
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gun politics in the United Kingdom generally places its main considerations on how best to ensure public safety and how deaths involving firearms can most effectively be prevented. The United Kingdom has one of the lowest rates of gun homicides in the world. The overall homicide rate is also low. In England and Wales (the most populous part of the United Kingdom) the rate is below the EU average, about four times lower than that of the United States but on almost the same level as in Canada.[1] Its police officers do not routinely carry a firearm.[2]
Gun ownership levels have traditionally been low. This was the case even before the imposition of modern firearm legislation. Hunting with firearms was always a relatively elitist activity, although shooting sports were popular in the late 19th and early 20th Century, especially fullbore rifle events sponsored by the military and NRA to improve the general standard of marksmanship under the auspices of Defence of the Realm.
Many modern civilian rifle clubs trace their ancestry to the 'Volunteers' of the middle 19th century, raised locally among the gentry to afford some degree of readiness to counter the then-perceived threat of invasion by Napoleon III. These volunteer organisations and military shooting clubs developed over time into civilian clubs as the Volunteer organisations were incorporated into the Territorial Army. Recent mass shootings by people with licenced rifles and hand guns have led to what is believed to be some of the strictest firearms legislation in the world[3][4] short of outright prohibition on private ownership of firearms.
In Scotland, power to legislate on firearms was reserved to the UK Parliament under the Scotland Act 1998 that established a Scottish Parliament, which has led to tensions between Westminster and Holyrood with the Scottish Government wanting to enact still stricter laws.[5]
In Northern Ireland, owning a firearm is legal and firearm certificates are issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Firearms control laws in Northern Ireland are slightly different from in Great Britain, being primarily affected by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gun politics in the United Kingdom generally places its main considerations on how best to ensure public safety and how deaths involving firearms can most effectively be prevented. The United Kingdom has one of the lowest rates of gun homicides in the world. The overall homicide rate is also low. In England and Wales (the most populous part of the United Kingdom) the rate is below the EU average, about four times lower than that of the United States but on almost the same level as in Canada.[1] Its police officers do not routinely carry a firearm.[2]
Gun ownership levels have traditionally been low. This was the case even before the imposition of modern firearm legislation. Hunting with firearms was always a relatively elitist activity, although shooting sports were popular in the late 19th and early 20th Century, especially fullbore rifle events sponsored by the military and NRA to improve the general standard of marksmanship under the auspices of Defence of the Realm.
Many modern civilian rifle clubs trace their ancestry to the 'Volunteers' of the middle 19th century, raised locally among the gentry to afford some degree of readiness to counter the then-perceived threat of invasion by Napoleon III. These volunteer organisations and military shooting clubs developed over time into civilian clubs as the Volunteer organisations were incorporated into the Territorial Army. Recent mass shootings by people with licenced rifles and hand guns have led to what is believed to be some of the strictest firearms legislation in the world[3][4] short of outright prohibition on private ownership of firearms.
In Scotland, power to legislate on firearms was reserved to the UK Parliament under the Scotland Act 1998 that established a Scottish Parliament, which has led to tensions between Westminster and Holyrood with the Scottish Government wanting to enact still stricter laws.[5]
In Northern Ireland, owning a firearm is legal and firearm certificates are issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Firearms control laws in Northern Ireland are slightly different from in Great Britain, being primarily affected by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.
