Scottish airgun licensing debate reminder

[Garvin]

I just received this email:

Stage 1 Debate on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill

I am writing to remind you that the Stage 1 debate on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill will take place tomorrow Thursday 23 April 2015, starting at 2.30pm in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

The purpose of the Stage 1 debate is to allow the full Parliament to debate the general principles (policy and purpose) of the Bill, as well as the findings and recommendations of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Bill. Immediately following the debate, the Parliament will vote on whether to approve the Bill at Stage 1 (at Decision Time at 5pm).

If you wish to attend the session you can book tickets online, free of charge, for the public gallery of the Debating Chamber, or you can ring the Parliament’s Visitor Services Department on 0131 348 5200. You can also watch the debate live online on the Parliament’s broadcast website from 2.30pm. The debate may also be available to watch on the Scotland section of the BBC Democracy Live website.

[havengore]

With the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon hoping to influence Westminster & English law after the election, let us hope any proposed changes in the law north & south of the border on airguns are beaten down. Her insistence on doing away with nuclear missile submarines should she get her way are abhorrent. Making stricter laws on the use of airguns would mean newer generations wouldn’t even know which end of any weapon to point at an enemy let alone fire a shot. That I know sounds alarmist but we should be sure that future generations living in eastern blocks will be well schooled in such activities. At this rate we will be 'throwing' expletives whilst our enemies bombard us with live fire. Far from laws being made stricter there should be encouragement for more shooting clubs & the like amongst our younger generations.

[Garvin]

I just received this email:

Stage 1 Debate on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill

I am writing to remind you that the Stage 1 debate on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill will take place tomorrow Thursday 23 April 2015, starting at 2.30pm in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

The purpose of the Stage 1 debate is to allow the full Parliament to debate the general principles (policy and purpose) of the Bill, as well as the findings and recommendations of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Bill. Immediately following the debate, the Parliament will vote on whether to approve the Bill at Stage 1 (at Decision Time at 5pm).

If you wish to attend the session you can book tickets online, free of charge, for the public gallery of the Debating Chamber, or you can ring the Parliament’s Visitor Services Department on 0131 348 5200. You can also watch the debate live online on the Parliament’s broadcast website from 2.30pm. The debate may also be available to watch on the Scotland section of the BBC Democracy Live website.

An interesting admission on the eve of the debate made by Kenny Macaskill's successor, Michael Matheson, that the SNP is all alone in its appetite to license airguns:

The UK Government has no plans to introduce licensing of air weapons and resisted the Calman Commission’s 2009 recommendation that responsibility for air weapons should be devolved. Similarly, there is little apparent appetite in the European Commission for introducing any central regulation of air weapons. The overarching EU legislation on firearms - Council Directive 91/477/EEC (as amended) – does not include controls on air weapons and priorities for the Commission lie in areas such as the control of high powered firearms, including controls on trafficking, reactivation of de commissioned weapons and the use of guns in organised crime. While I would support any reasonable measures to better control potentially lethal air weapons, I do not see any prospect for such regulation in the foreseeable future.

[GoodWILLHunting]

Yeah, should be interesting. I'll be watching, or listening at least.

[Garvin]

Matheson's full comments here, dealing with among other things the fact they are planning to license the person and not the gun itself:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4...t_20150422.pdf

Reading this garbage, you can really see how the SNP is pursuing a vindictive policy that they know will mainly affect law-abiding people who happen to enjoy shooting airguns and aimed at getting large numbers of people to hand in 'unwanted' airguns for destruction. Three times, Matheson mentions the need for an education campaign to alert people to the licensing regime and each time says it will be accompanied by information about how to dispose of 'unwanted' airguns.

He is clearly setting up a future benchmark of the success of this policy as the number of guns handed in to the police for destruction. That is, statistics may show that illegal use of airguns continues its steady downward trend after licensing, as it has for the last several years. But the SNP will claim that the fact that x thousand airguns have been 'taken off the street' by the pre-licensing amnesty amounts to a 'success' for the whole ridiculous policy.

[GoodWILLHunting]

Matheson's full comments here, dealing with among other things the fact they are planning to license the person and not the gun itself:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4...t_20150422.pdf

Reading this garbage, you can really see how the SNP is pursuing a vindictive policy that they know will mainly affect law-abiding people who happen to enjoy shooting airguns and aimed at getting large numbers of people to hand in 'unwanted' airguns for destruction. Three times, Matheson mentions the need for an education campaign to alert people to the licensing regime and each time says it will be accompanied by information about how to dispose of 'unwanted' airguns.

He is clearly setting up a future benchmark of the success of this policy as the number of guns handed in to the police for destruction. That is, statistics may show that illegal use of airguns continues its steady downward trend after licensing, as it has for the last several years. But the SNP will claim that the fact that x thousand airguns have been 'taken off the street' by the pre-licensing amnesty amounts to a 'success' for the whole ridiculous policy.

Are you writing speeches for David Cameron Lets wait and see what happens tomorrow

[Garvin]

Are you writing speeches for David Cameron Lets wait and see what happens tomorrow

Are you still an SNP supporter who intends to vote for this anti-airgun rabble?

[fudstoneboy]

Be very aware guys if nippy nicola gets her coalition puppet army, she will do her damndest to ensure any and all legislation "her"government wish to saddle us with, WILL go through, do not doubt that for a minute, this is a deeply divisive, bullying, misinformation bunch of rabid and extreme nationalists, the only way is their way.
After the debacle of the referendum vote, the snp seem determined to act like a wee pissed up glaswegian, spreading his lies and vitriolic hatred of everyone and anyone who does not agree with him, I feel genuinely ashamed to call myself scottish because of them, the quicker they are got rid of, the better, bunch o twats

[barrel]

Be very aware guys if nippy nicola gets her coalition puppet army, she will do her damndest to ensure any and all legislation "her"government wish to saddle us with, WILL go through, do not doubt that for a minute, this is a deeply divisive, bullying, misinformation bunch of rabid and extreme nationalists, the only way is their way.
After the debacle of the referendum vote, the snp seem determined to act like a wee pissed up glaswegian, spreading his lies and vitriolic hatred of everyone and anyone who does not agree with him, I feel genuinely ashamed to call myself scottish because of them, the quicker they are got rid of, the better, bunch o twats

You write a lot of sense mate, but never be ashamed of being Scottish its not you acting in this nonsensical way.

Kindest regards

Barrel

[thisisdonald]

With the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon hoping to influence Westminster & English law after the election, let us hope any proposed changes in the law north & south of the border on airguns are beaten down. Her insistence on doing away with nuclear missile submarines should she get her way are abhorrent. Making stricter laws on the use of airguns would mean newer generations wouldn’t even know which end of any weapon to point at an enemy let alone fire a shot. That I know sounds alarmist but we should be sure that future generations living in eastern blocks will be well schooled in such activities. At this rate we will be 'throwing' expletives whilst our enemies bombard us with live fire. Far from laws being made stricter there should be encouragement for more shooting clubs & the like amongst our younger generations.

I take from that post that you would be quite happy to see millions of people killed with a weapon of mass destruction (or are you one of these 'we need them but we wont use them' folk?), and that you somehow see airguns as being baby steps toward a lifetime where everyone has 'guns sense' and is ready to respond to an invasion, or uprise against the 'insurgents'. It sounds to me like your heads isny screwed on right.

Be very aware guys if nippy nicola gets her coalition puppet army, she will do her damndest to ensure any and all legislation "her"government wish to saddle us with, WILL go through, do not doubt that for a minute, this is a deeply divisive, bullying, misinformation bunch of rabid and extreme nationalists, the only way is their way.
After the debacle of the referendum vote, the snp seem determined to act like a wee pissed up glaswegian, spreading his lies and vitriolic hatred of everyone and anyone who does not agree with him, I feel genuinely ashamed to call myself scottish because of them, the quicker they are got rid of, the better, bunch o twats

I dont see myself as being deeply divisive, bullying, misinformative, or a rabid and extreme nationalist.

Ill be voting SNP because Im a Nationalist. Ill be voting SNP because they are the only party that looks to be aiming for a better future for my kids in Scotland. I will be voting SNP regardless of what their stance on airguns is, because as much as I love my guns and have been shooting for over 25 years, just as my dad did and his dad before him, I believe that as an independent country Scotland will be a better place. Sturgeon, whilst she wont commit to saying it live, is head of a party that is primarily aimed at independence. Its either an SNP vote or the Greens, and Im afraid that at this point in time that would be a wasted vote.

you want me to vote for Cameron, Milliband/Murphy or Farage? These guys are jokes - look at the way they behave - absolute jokes.

anyway - thanks for the reminder Garvin... dont know why Im not receiving these, Im signed up for just about everything. TBH Im quietly confident it wont go through - its just unworkable and is knee jerk politics at its worst.

[coburn]

Nicola Sturgeon, the Viv Nicholson of politics. Spend Spend Spend!

But remember you don't get her in Westminster, You'll get Alex Salmond.

My father an SNP supporter of over 40 years reckons this will get thrown out, I rather doubt it, but we can hope the opposition who at the moment have no love for the SNP can object enough to do this or water it down.

[GoodWILLHunting]

Are you still an SNP supporter who intends to vote for this anti-airgun rabble?

No, not a supporter nor voter, but there's a first time for everything so yeah, I'll be voting SNP on the 7th

I take from that post that you would be quite happy to see millions of people killed with a weapon of mass destruction (or are you one of these 'we need them but we wont use them' folk?), and that you somehow see airguns as being baby steps toward a lifetime where everyone has 'guns sense' and is ready to respond to an invasion, or uprise against the 'insurgents'. It sounds to me like your heads isny screwed on right.


I dont see myself as being deeply divisive, bullying, misinformative, or a rabid and extreme nationalist.

Ill be voting SNP because Im a Nationalist. Ill be voting SNP because they are the only party that looks to be aiming for a better future for my kids in Scotland. I will be voting SNP regardless of what their stance on airguns is, because as much as I love my guns and have been shooting for over 25 years, just as my dad did and his dad before him, I believe that as an independent country Scotland will be a better place. Sturgeon, whilst she wont commit to saying it live, is head of a party that is primarily aimed at independence. Its either an SNP vote or the Greens, and Im afraid that at this point in time that would be a wasted vote.

you want me to vote for Cameron, Milliband/Murphy or Farage? These guys are jokes - look at the way they behave - absolute jokes.

anyway - thanks for the reminder Garvin... dont know why Im not receiving these, Im signed up for just about everything. TBH Im quietly confident it wont go through - its just unworkable and is knee jerk politics at its worst.

You missed out Kennedy or "the penguin" as he's know locally.

I'm getting mail from a "former construction PLC CEO" who claims to be a tory, telling me to vote libdem, as he would, to keep the SNP out of my seat. The anti SNP reaction and rhetoric in the press at the moment is just laughable, "project fear" round two, if I had a return address I'd be writing to him to point out the folly of his ways.

I noticed that the delayed bill to scrap corroboration, being forced through by those deaf fascist, sons of Adolph, SNP'ers, has now been dropped Thatcher would have called that a U turn, I call it, democracy by cross party consensus, humility learned in minority government I reckon.

Not sure this here bill will meet with the same fate but on present track record (8 years of it) if I'm honest I can't thing of anything the Nats have done (other than the Fag ban and EU parity with drink driving levels, lots of fag smoking drunk drivers objected to those two) where broader public and professional opinion hasn't been considered and reflected in policy.

No, for from being as presented in the press at the moment, I'd say the SNP democratic record in the scots parliament has been better than that I've been used to over my 35 years of political awareness. Hence why this time I have nothing to fear, this bill aside, and why I'll be voting SNP.

Smell the outrage

[Patrick 2]

Well as I've said before in a previous post anyone who votes for the SNP or Green Party and is a keen shooter, irrespective of the type of shooting they do, has found no better way of shooting themselves in the foot so as to speak.Do you honestly think they'll stop at licensing air guns,that's just the thin end of the wedge.In the end the only people allowed a firearm will probably be people like professional deer stalkers and managers.As for voting for the Green Party well anyone who does that really has got a screw lose or is totally naive.There policies would almost certainly bankrupt the country and drive most industry out of the country through punitive taxation and regulations if in their eyes it wasn't considered green.They're anti car and motorist,they admit they'd bring in road pricing and hike up fuel duty to dissuade us from using our car.They think we can solve our energy problems by making sure everyone's got their house insulated and putting up wind turbines and possibly the odd tidal barrage,what bloody nonsense.Even if you were to blanket cover every available and suitable site for wind turbines you still wouldn't be able to provide enough power and that's when the wind's blowing and they're turning.Perhaps they want to take valuable agricultural land out of production and erect solar panels causing us to import even more food. Let's face it whether we like it or not for the foreseeable future we're going to have to rely on nuclear power along with gas and some other fossil fuels even if it's in a limited amount. Their(Greens) welfare policies alone would cost an eye watering, staggeringly high amount which would mean an increase taxes probably.Yes if you want higher fuel prices ,road pricing,higher energy costs and probably higher taxes along with high unemployment due to many companies leaving the country then vote Green.They're a bunch of woolly headed idealists that have a complete lack of a grasp on economic reality.Ironically the Green Party who run Brighton & Hove council have one of the poorest recycling records in the country.

[GoodWILLHunting]

Well as I've said before in a previous post anyone who votes for the SNP or Green Party and is a keen shooter, irrespective of the type of shooting they do, has found no better way of shooting themselves in the foot so as to speak.Do you honestly think they'll stop at licensing air guns,that's just the thin end of the wedge.In the end the only people allowed a firearm will probably be people like professional deer stalkers and managers.As for voting for the Green Party well anyone who does that really has got a screw lose or is totally naive.There policies would almost certainly bankrupt the country and drive most industry out of the country through punitive taxation and regulations if in their eyes it wasn't considered green.They're anti car and motorist,they admit they'd bring in road pricing and hike up fuel duty to dissuade us from using our car.They think we can solve our energy problems by making sure everyone got their house insulated and putting up wind turbines and possibly the odd tidal barrage,what bloody nonsense.Even if you were to blanket cover every available and suitable site for wind turbines you still wouldn't be able to provide enough power and that's when the wind's blowing and they're turning.Perhaps they want to take valuable agricultural land out of production and erect solar panels causing us to import even more food. Let's face it whether we like it or not for the foreseeable future we're going to have to rely on nuclear power along with gas and some other fossil fuels even if it's in a limited amount. Their(Greens) welfare policies alone would cost an eye watering, staggeringly high amount which would mean an increase taxes probably.Yes if you want higher fuel prices ,road pricing,higher energy costs and probably higher taxes along with high unemployment due to many companies leaving the country then vote Green.They're a bunch of woolly headed idealists that have a complete lack of economic reality.Ironically the Green Party who run Brighton & Hove council have one of the poorest recycling records in the country.

Go tell it to the Non Airgun Massive, hot air is a speciality on yon and you'll find much indignation in common with your own.

Smile and be happy, the country is already bankrupt, economically and morally.

[havengore]

[QUOTE=thisisdonald;6672531]I take from that post that you would be quite happy to see millions of people killed with a weapon of mass destruction (or are you one of these 'we need them but we wont use them' folk?), and that you somehow see airguns as being baby steps toward a lifetime where everyone has 'guns sense' and is ready to respond to an invasion, or uprise against the 'insurgents'. It sounds to me like your heads isny screwed on right.


No my views are not that I would like to see millions of people killed with a weapon of mass destruction or that airguns are baby steps toward ‘gun sense’. My view is that for years the ‘Scittish’ have been out of touch with the rest of the UK. When is a referendum not a referendum ?.... When it is held in Scotland !. The skittish had the choice to opt out of the rest of the UK but even though a majority voted not to the rest won’t except the result. For years many changes in UK law have been experimental in Scotland first, ‘All day opening in pubs’, ‘No cheap alcohol in supermarkets’, ‘Smoking ban in public places’ etc. So you see my fears are founded, any change in law North of the border may well be spread to the South.

As for my head not being screwed on right, anyone who thinks there will be no need for British people to know how to use weapons in the future is a buffoon. Half of Africa is marching its way Europe bound, Fanatics in the Middle East want to crush Christianity & everybody who doesn’t see their views & the Russian bear flies his war planes ever closer to test our defences.

Where Sir do you ‘not’ see a need for future generations to be able to take up arms ?.


What is the difference between a Salmon & a Sturgeon ?... Nothing they both want to get Miliband into Downing Street in order to waste more money on 'another' Scittish referendum….