Letter on Gun Crime by Councillor Peter Evans

We have seen to huge rise in gun crime across the UK. It is around ten years since The Government attacked gun clubs and declared that a central national register would be compiled for guns. Looking at the mural of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 by King John in the large hall of our town hall, I have reflected on the fact that it took seven and a half years using quill and donkey to complete a national census of Britain. Compare this to the fact that after 10 years a central register for guns has still not been done! It suggests to me that the attack on gun clubs was another deliberate ruse by our government wanting to sounding tough: they knew full well that it would have no impact whatsoever on the number of guns acquired by criminals - a fact that has been proved emphatically since then.

Our prospects of staying at the top of the Olympic table in shooting were sacrificed for nothing - as predicted by anyone who knew anything about gun controls at the time. I seriously doubt whether government will admit to its error and allow tightly controlled gun clubs to operate again. It would never do to put fear into the minds of criminals and infringe their human rights it seems!

Councillor Peter Evans

111 Brown Lodge Drive, Smithy Bridge, LITTLEBOROUGH. OL15 0ET