Last Friday the Daily Telegraph, Britain's most widely read broadsheet newspaper, issued an online poll asking members of the public which proposal they would like to see introduced as a Private Members' Bill in the UK's Parliament.Gee, I wonder why they might think that. Oh, wait - Gun Crime Soars by 35%:
Private Members' Bills are introduced by Members of Parliament or Peers who are not government ministers.
The choices include term limits for Prime Ministers, a flat tax, a law to encourage the 'greening' of public spaces and the repealing of Britain's hand gun ban. Following the Dunblane massacre in 1996, in which 16 schoolchildren were killed, Parliament passed The Firearms Act of 1997, which essentially banned handguns for the atrocity.
But Britons seem unconvinced by the law. The proposer, known as "Colliemum" asked, "...why should only criminals be 'allowed' to possess guns and shoot unarmed, defenceless citizens and police officers?"
While the poll continues, so far over 80 percent of the 11,000+ respondents have told the Telegraph that they want to see the handgun ban repealed.
The Government's latest crime figures were condemned as "truly terrible" by the Tories today as it emerged that gun crime in England and Wales soared by 35% last year.Yeah, yeah - the Telegraph's poll is an online one and all that. Hey, why not put it to a referendum? While they're at it, the citizens could also vote on immigration, membership in the EU, and the death penalty! That's the poll that counts ...
Criminals used handguns in 46% more offences, Home Office statistics revealed.
Firearms were used in 9,974 recorded crimes in the 12 months to last April, up from 7,362.
It was the fourth consecutive year to see a rise and there were more than 2,200 more gun crimes last year than the previous peak in 1993.
Figures showed the number of crimes involving handguns had more than doubled since the post-Dunblane massacre ban on the weapons, from 2,636 in 1997-1998 to 5,871.
Oh, and this is an infographic that never goes out of style:
Or you can look at the statistics of homicide rate since the wide spread introduction of "shall issue" concealed handgun permits.
The best case that the gun grabbers can make is that there's no correlation between the availability of legal firearms and the homicide rate. That's the best case they can make, scientifically speaking. Looks like they're at war with Science, or something. Damn Deniers.
The Britts are finally waking up? They better hit the voting booth. Or is it too late for them before they are outnumbered?
ReplyDeleteThe best bet for the UK is to vote for UKIP.
ReplyDeleteGood graphic, and I'm honestly surprised it's taken this long!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat nonsense this blog regarding firearms is. I live in the UK and there is no wish for the gun laws to be relaxed. The Telegraph is the highest selling broadsheet, the highest of only 2, the other being The Financial Times which is primarily but not entirely a business paper about stocks, shares and investments. In 2011, the last year full figures are available for both countries, there were 8,583 murders using firearms in the USA or 27 per million of population. In the same year there were 44 in the UK or 0.72 gun murders per million population. You are about 30 times more likely to be murdered with a gun in the USA than in the UK, why on earth would we want to own a firearm? The attitude in the UK to the USA and it's firearms laws are "when will they ever learn?" every time someone marches into one of your schools and shoots children and teachers. This has happened ONCE in the very long history of Britain. How Many times has it happened in the USA since it happened at Dunblane in 1996? I counted well over 160, 21 this year (March 21st 2014) alone, 21 shootings in schools in less than 3 months. Do you REALLY think you're getting it right? God help when you think you're getting it wrong.
ReplyDeleteDo you have the courage to publish these facts? We'll see, but don't forget, along with the right to bear arms, you give the right to freedom of speech and information.