It's time to reform our weapon laws.

Each year in this country, thousands of people are victims of serious violent crimes, even murdered, because they are rendered defenseless by ill-conceived, unjust and draconian legislation. People are mercilessly prosecuted if they take precautions to protect themselves and their families, with many losing their freedom, their jobs and even their homes as a result.

We are constantly being told that prohibitions on the private possession of weapons work and that we are all safer because of them. This is a lie.

In 1970, police in England and Wales recorded 687 crimes involving firearms, excluding airguns and replicas. By 2005, this figure has jumped to 11,088 crimes involving firearms, again excluding airguns and replicas. A rise of 1,513 percent in just 35 years.

The figures for crime involving handguns are even higher. In 1970, just 213 crimes involving handguns were reported by police in England and Wales. In 2001, that figure had risen to 5,874 crimes. A shocking increase of 2,657 percent in just 31 years. 

Back in 1997, when handguns were banned, we were told that it would lead to a safer, less violent society. Yet our society has seen no significant change in violent crime or homicide rates, with previous trends continuing unimpeded.

We often hear claims that "the bad guys will arm themselves and everything will get worse if we allow people to own weapons for self-defense". This is another lie, designed simply to further the prohibitionist's cause.

Countries where armed self-defense is legal have lower violent crime rates than countries where it is prohibited. The same is also true within countries such as the US, where states with liberal weapon laws have lower violent crime rates than states with prohibitive weapon laws, and where the legalization of concealed carry has led to massive, nation-wide drops in violent crime and homicide rates.

Surely we should look at reforming our weapon laws, with the aim of making them fair and sensible.

- Graham Showell & The lizard. 

UKIP: Adopt clear policies in favour of armed self-defence

Please sign the petition below to show your support to the UK Independence Party for the addition of clear policies in favour of firearm ownership and armed self-defence to their manifesto. With enough support, UKIP can be shown that this is an issue cared about by many and with such policy additions they can become a concrete medium through which self-defence and gun rights can be championed.

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-uk-independence-party-ukip-adopt-a-clear-set-of-polices-in-favour-of-armed-self-defence#

Prominent stabbings highlight need for effective self-defence

A number of prominent stabbings over Christmas has ignited concerns and fueled debate on the subject of knife related crime. Victims from across the UK include Seydou Diarrassouba, Gaynor McGlyn, John Lee Barrett, Gillian Woodward, Joshua Green,Chris Bergin, Catherine Wynter, Scott Cooke, Bronius Juras, Walter Keeling Kirsty Treloar and Martin Rusling.

The usual calls for the government to 'tackle' and 'send a message' to offenders have been strongly promoted by the media. The truth that is so often ignored is that legislative action such as harsher sentencing regarding weapons related offenses will not dissuade those who are willing to commit murder from carrying and using them. The only thing that would dissuade an attacker during the course of an attack would be if the victim were to have been armed and ready to defend him or herself, something the government has made impossible to legally do.

Those in favour of self-defence rights need to send a message to the government demanding that weapon legislation should consider the legitimate need for such items for self-defence. Make sure to write to your MP and sign our petitions below.

Legalise purchase and carry of non-lethal weapons such as pepper spray

 Repeal the 1988 and 1997 Firearms Acts

Absolute right to self-defence within one's home