But while the Countryside Alliance claimed the fresh row would create “a whole new political challenge in the relationship between Labour and the countryside”, the government insisted that it is right to keep gun legislation under constant review.
He warned that a move to licence shotguns similarly to other firearms would mean that each gun would have to be licensed separately, while the purchase of ammunition would be limited, as well as potential restrictions around storage.
Sir Keir Starmer’s government is considering tightening controls around shotgun ownership, in a move likely to further fray Labour’s relationship with farmers.
But although that warning prompted Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government to order a consultation on gun laws in 2023, those ministers opted not to explore the coroner’s recommendation to align shotgun and firearms legislation.
The government now “takes the view that shotguns are no less lethal than other firearms” and that it is right to “consider greater alignment of the controls”, the Home Office said, adding that its consultation will be published later this year.
