To think that no one in this country needs a firearm in their house

[MumNWLondon]

Title says it all really.

Killer in Cumbria had a gun licence.... why does anyone in this country need a licence to have a gun in their house?

AIBU to think that no one should have such a licence?

I agree

To shoot foxes.

There are some valid reasons for people to have guns - farmers will say they need them for pest control, for example.

I am generally against guns..except for farmers. But what do you do if one of them goes off the rails? What is the solution t the gun problem? No-one knows....

Apols for brevity - feeding dd.

You can have a gun for the farm
But normal person in house-why?

You might go to rifle ranges for leisure? Sport?

No guns and there would be less farmer suicides as well. I say get rid of them.

YANBU. Totally agree. Certainly no need for a taxi driver in Cumbria to have a gun licence.

You can never predict when someone might flip. Emotions are powerful and if nobody had a gun then nobody could shoot anyone. I'm not being overly simplistic, I genuinely beleive it.

We don't live on a farm and dp keeps guns in the house because he goes rought shooting/does some pest control for local farmers and landowners/goes deer stalking etc.

The guns are kept in one coded safe in a locked room and the ammunition in another coded safe also in a locked room.

He's not a member of a local gun club,though is with BASC/CA so couldn't keep the weapons there.

If you really were determined to go on a rampage you could still get a gun.There are many illegally held and banned weapons in this country,perhaps it'd be more difficult but it'd certainly be possible through various means.

A lot of people who work in rural areas and deal with pest control are not farmers - they may be farmworkers, smallholders, gamekeepers and so on. There isn't that clear a divide in rural areas between people who work land and people who do not.

There seems to be a large increase in smallholding, which shows no signs of slowing down, although many people will just own chickens and sheep, so do not legally have to register as smallholders. People also shoot for food - rabbits and so on.

I don't think dp would have a major problem if the guns had to be kept elsewhere but it'd have to be somewhere relatively close by and convenient.

I agree.

mumnwLONDON says it all

I do wonder why Derrick Bird was allowed to retain his licence after the theft charge(s) and when, according to the papers at least,he didn't go shooting and wasn't a member of a gun club.

You have to show that you have good reason to own a gun and it seems that there was no apparent reason for him to do so.

YANBU

Ive always thought, if yoou want to shoot stuff join a shooting club.

YANBU. I think shooting clubs are a bit too now you mention it.

no i think there has to be a good reason why NOT to have a gun tbh
its something urban folk dont get

Rough shooting sorry not rought shooting.

If it is your chosen sport then you need to have so that you can practice
I'm afraid that this incident whilst incredibly sad isn't justification to ban all those innocent firearm holders from using weapons and keeping them on their properties

vermin
hobby
sport

lets face it bird was NOTHING to do with the gun
all todo with his mind

Oh yes the old "you city folk just don't understand" chestnut..

Why are shooting clubs ?

Are archery clubs ?

well i am semi rural and when i meet with a group of colleagues who are proper rural its a REAL eyeopener
all dog training and point to point and mole catchers and stuff

People should find other hobbies imho.