The UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), is calling on its members and others who shoot to lobby their MPs in advance of a parliamentary debate on firearms laws in the wake of the murders in Cumbria.
BASC has launched a campaigning website which allows people to look up their local MP by postcode, constituency name or the name of the MP. The results show whether an MP has indicated if they are supportive of, or opposed to, shooting. An email text is then made available, which can be edited and altered if desired.
BASC spokesman Simon Clarke said: “While our thoughts are very much with the people of Cumbria as they cope with the aftermath of this appalling tragedy, inevitably media and public attention has been drawn to the UK’s firearms licensing laws. Those who are opposed to the lawful use of guns have not been slow in putting their views across and shooting must make sure that its voice is heard. We urge everyone who is involved in shooting to visit the BASC website www.0ld.basc.org.uk and to take a few short minutes to send a message to their local elected representative. It’s also vitally important that they send responses back to us. All the details are on the website which can also be found at http://politics.0ld.basc.org.uk.”
The email to MPs sets out the value of shooting to the countryside and to the economy, where it generates £1.6 billion pounds a year, and asks them to consider the damage that knee-jerk legislation would do to lawful and responsible shooting and the countryside. It also offers them a chance to find out more about shooting in their constituency.
Simon Clarke said: “While professional campaigning groups such as BASC have their work to do, nothing gets through to an MP more quickly than a message from one of their own constituents, so we are calling on everyone to play their part to back up the work we will be undertaking.” ENDS
For more information please call the BASC press office on 01244 573031. An ISDN line is available for radio interviews.