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Thread: MPs told pistol ban “threatens London’s Olympic bid” BASC press release

  1. #1
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    MPs told pistol ban “threatens London’s Olympic bid” BASC press release

    MPs told pistol ban “threatens London’s Olympic bid”
    26th May 2004…………………………………………………immediate release.

    MPs and peers have been told that the ban on pistols in Britain threatens London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympics. The all-party group on shooting and conservation, meeting at Westminster last night, heard that even special dispensations from the ban for Olympic competitors would not be enough to salvage the pistol shooting competitions.

    Christopher Graffius, of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the UK’s biggest shooting organisation which provides the secretariat to the all-party group, said "Because of the handgun ban, Britain is unable to offer anything like the facilities which international competitive pistol shooters require”. The group was told that Britain has slipped from 7th place to 38th in the European competitive rankings as domestic shooters are unable to train, practice or compete in the UK since the ban was introduced in 1997.

    Mick Gault, a target pistol shooter, is Britain’s most successful medal winner in any sport, with eleven golds to his credit, but the all-party group was told that he receives no media recognition, and no young people have been able to take up the sport successfully since handguns were banned.

    The MPs and peers were shown the difference between a single-shot target pistol (photo) used in competition and a Walther 9mm self-loading pistol, which conforms more to the stereotypical image of a handgun. They were addressed by John Hoare, Chief Executive of the National Small-Bore Rifle Association (NSRA) and John Leighton-Dyson, performance director of the British shooting team which will compete in the Athens Olympics this year. John Leighton-Dyson said that there are £6m of public funds invested at the National Shooting Centre at Bisley in facilities which cannot be fully used because of the handgun ban, and that UK Sport is due to withdraw funding just as the evaluation team looking at London’s Olympic bid is due to begin work.

    John Hoare told the group that legislation does not stop crime, but enforcement does. Since handguns were banned in the UK, gun crime has almost doubled while lawful shooting sports have suffered.

    Christopher Graffius of BASC said “The all-party group discussed the minimum changes to the law needed to revitalise competitive pistol shooting. The shooting community will keep pressing for the return of legal target shooting with pistols. Logic is on our side and we must demonstrate that the single-shot pistols used in competition bear no relation to weapons used in urban drug-related crime and their use presents no threat to public safety.” ENDS
    For more details call the BASC press office on 01244 573031
    Simon Clarke
    Head of Press Relations, BASC
    simon.clarke@basc.org.uk

  2. #2
    Zanx Guest
    Stuff like that makes me so happy, I love it when politicos are outed for the muppets they really are.

  3. #3
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    MPs told pistol ban “threatens London’s Olympic bid” BASC press release

    It would appear that the government has
    shot itself in the foot then - although not with a hand gun!
    After all that is said and done - More is said, than done!

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    Why did the BASC say that? Free Pistols are legal once again.

    Rustam

  5. #5
    Graphite Guest
    Originally posted by Rustam Bana
    Why did the BASC say that? Free Pistols are legal once again.
    Nothing is legal "once again". Free pistols are now being produced, AIUI specifically for the UK market, that conform to the minimum lengths specified by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997.
    Last edited by Graphite; 26-05-2004 at 05:11 PM.

  6. #6
    R30Jeff is offline Not Smarter Than The Average Bear
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    Typical isn't it, one of the few things we are good at and we get shafted by our own government


    Shame the rest of the country won't here about it, I can hardly see it making the 10 o clock news.

    Politicians, shoot 'em all.

    Not that I am advecating (sp), condoning or suggesting anybody does. Don't want to be labeled a mad gun nut, oh hang on I own an air rifle & pistol I already am

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    Wink

    Originally posted by Graphite
    Nothing is legal "once again". Free pistols are now being produced, AIUI specifically for the UK market, that conform to the minimum lengths specified by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997.
    Point taken.

    Do you split hairs for a living or is it just a hobby?

    Rustam

  8. #8
    Graphite Guest
    Originally posted by Rustam Bana
    Do you split hairs for a living or is it just a hobby?
    There is a vast difference between something being made legal and it always having been legal. Not nearly splitting hairs.

    As you can see in my profile I am a capitalist militarist imperialist ******* scum by trade.

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    Wink

    Considering that the Long Arm 60's were made specifically to comply with British pistol law, you could stretch a point and say that Free Pistols are legal once again.

  10. #10
    Graphite Guest
    Fair (stretched) point.

    Though if splitting hairs I would say that there are legal free pistols once again.

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  12. #12
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    Thank you for that info Simon. I cheered me up a bit that did.

    Had this mental picture of a load of MP's sitting on there bums but ALL had the face of Homer Simpson !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The prhase Dohhhh also echoed in my ears...

    Steyr
    In a battle of wits I refuse to engage with an unarmed person.
    To one shot one kill, you need to seek the S. Kill only comes from Skill

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    Simon - Thank you for posting this release.

    Originally posted by Simon Clarke
    John Hoare told the group that legislation does not stop crime, but enforcement does. Since handguns were banned in the UK, gun crime has almost doubled while lawful shooting sports have suffered.
    I think this quote says it all really.

    If anyone wants wants information on how to lobby their MP, there is guidance linked on Shooting STARS on the Law - Introductory page. I've done been there before .......

    Keith

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    It was for this exact reason that the Conservatives only proposed banning centre fire pistols. But unfortunately once Labour got in they proceeded to ban the whole lot while the advice regarding eligibility for the Olympics in future years fell on deaf or ignorant ears.

    The whole thing was electioneering and has in no way contributed to public safety. I can think of many better ways in which they could have spent the millions upon millions of pounds of public money that they wasted on this minority enforced PR excercise.

    The sole reason for the Dunblaine tragedy was that David Hamilton was mentally ill. Even after many reports of questionable conduct at his 'boys camps', reports of him threatening people with guns, etc. nothing was done! My opinion is that even if the Police were to have acted proactively and confiscated his guns, he would have probably purchased alternative firearms on the black market or even fixated himself on other weapons such as swords and used them instead in his evil attack.

    At the end of the day if a lunatic wants to kill someone with a handgun...they will find a way to do it, regardless of the law. A good example of this is the very sad case of Jill Dando. I even know of a very local case to me where a mentally ill man shot and wounded his family doctor with an ancient WW1 service revolver and crude home made ammunition. He attacked the doctor as the final act of a hate campaign that ran for 10 years as he blamed the doctor for the death of his mother.

    Rather than banning guns the government should invest time and effort in tackling the real issue of unsuitable people obtaining guns for illegal acts.

    It was even suggested by the shooting lobby that they would welcome far more effective and stringent checks on certificate holders, even to the point of phsychiatric testing to prevent mentally ill people from obtaining a firearms certificate.


    Cheers





    Clive

  15. #15
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    Originally posted by cliveward
    It was for this exact reason that the Conservatives only proposed banning centre fire pistols.
    Excuse me but I think that's wrong. I don't believe anything changed between Tory and Labour governments on this issue, and if the Tories are trying to use that to woo shooters' votes, that's cynical and disingenuous of them.

    There are plenty of things this government can be blamed for after 7 years in office, but this particular bandwagon was already fuelled, loaded and rolling under the Tories, in a way that the '97 election results couldn't and didn't influence.

    And it was Thomas, not David Hamilton.

    Regards,
    MikB
    ...history... is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. (Edward Gibbon: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)

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