MP calls for change in wake of ‘harrowing’ Keyham inquest
Speaking in the House of Commons earlier today, Richard Foord paid tribute to the victims by refusing to name the murderer - and urged the Government to do more to support local police forces so they can keep communities safe.
He also criticised the Commissioner for Devon & Cornwall (the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner who oversees the constabulary), for the chronic underfunding of the firearms licensing unit – which saw delays in the processing of license requests and ultimately permitted the murderer to own a shotgun.
The Lib Dem MP is calling for a full review of all existing licenses to ensure shotguns are not in the wrong hands.
Richard Foord MP said:
“The Plymouth shooting saw five people killed and a further two injured. It’s truly harrowing and a stark reminder that shotguns can be lethal. We must take action to prevent further tragedies like this and keep these weapons out of the wrong hands.
“The inquest into the shooting found there had been a ‘catastrophic failure’ to prevent the incident. This is, in part, due to the Firearms Licensing Department at Devon & Cornwall Police not having been given the resources it needed to properly determine who could be licensed to own a shotgun.
“I was disappointed to see the Police and Crime Commissioner fail to take ownership of these shortcomings. The promise of more funding in response is good, but it speaks to poor oversight and the fact this vital service has been neglected for years.
“We must be able to have confidence that our Police are getting the support they need to keep us safe. Rank-and-file Officers across our communities do incredible selfless work every single day and deserve nothing short of our wholehearted support.
“It’s clear we need a full and timely review into all existing firearms licenses across the country, and tougher regulations to ensure that shotguns are used in a responsible fashion and do not fall into the wrong hands.
“We owe it not only to ourselves but also to the families of the victims of gun violence to ensure that justice is done, and people are kept safe.”