My Goals

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My vision is to see gun control laws in the United Kingdom relaxed so that law-abiding people can be armed to protect themselves, their families and their property.

I propose introducing the system below -

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All adult permanent residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall be entitled to a Firearms Permit providing that they -

1. DO NOT have a conviction for a serious violent or sexual crime or a history of recidivism (repeat offending).  

Consideration would have to be given to the fact that some people have been wrongly criminalised by the government for defending themselves against criminals. Convictions of this kind would not be counted as "violent offences" and would therefore not be a barrier to obtaining a Firearms Permit.

2. DO NOT have a history of serious mental instability or serious mental illness.

Minor and non-violent convictions such as possession of marijuana for personal consumption or simple possession of a weapon for personal protection should NOT be a barrier to obtaining a Firearms Permit.

The Firearms Permit may ONLY be withdrawn on conviction of offences such as those stated above. The issuing authority, in this case the police, shall have no right to deny the Firearms Permit, which must be issued within 60 days providing the conditions stated above are met.

Permits would be renewable every 5 years, and the applicant would be required to take and pass a gun safety and marksmanship course before a permit was issued. This course would include both theory and practical elements of owning, shooting and carrying firearms.

The Firearms Permit shall entitle the holder to own, carry and use any number of handguns, shotguns and semi-automatic rifles for self-defence purposes. The permit shall also allow people to carry loaded handguns in public, either concealed from view or openly on display in a holster. In addition, the permit shall also allow people to own non-lethal weapons such as tazers, pepper spray and stun guns.

It shall remain illegal to possess non-lethal or lethal weapons without a valid Firearms Permit.

A citizen shall have the option of an appeal to be allowed the grant of a Firearms Permit, irrespective of criminal record. This will be an important step in the rehabilitation of an offender.

Government registration of weapons, except for purposes of police and military inventory control of government weapons, shall be abolished. The Government shall not impose any "safe storage" requirements on, nor dictate when, how and if weapons and/or ammunition can be carried.

There shall be no "gun free zones" or other such prohibitions of self-defence in public-access areas, for example in such locations as government buildings and hospitals.

Such a system will reduce dramatically the cost of policing and defending the country. It will provide a significant measure of internal security against foreign invasion and terrorism. It will also provide security of the person and property for British citizens.

Having the guns in the hands of the people is the only honest way for a so-called "democracy" run by and for the people to operate.