Labour has been accused of a new attack on farmers after ministers said they would consult on whether to make it more difficult to own shotguns.
Home Office minister Diana Johnson said that the Government would look at aligning the rules for firearms and shotguns.
Licensing requirements are at present far more stringent for the 140,000 firearm owners in the UK than they are for the 610,000 shotgun owners.
In a written statement, Ms Johnson wrote that in light of recent tragic shootings in Keyham and the Isle of Skye by shotgun owners, the Government would consult on the issue later in the year.
She wrote that it was ‘right to look again at the differences in the controls and to consider whether changes should be made to better protect the public.’
But Tim Bonner of the Countryside Alliance said that any move to make it more difficult to own shotguns would ‘alienate a major part of the rural community’.
He told the Mail: ‘I’m very surprised that they’re doing this – especially after all the upset caused by inheritance tax for farmers.
‘They seem to be willing to bring forward policies that alienate people in the countryside – people who are frankly the most law-abiding people you’d meet because they have already passed checks that allow them to own shotguns.
Home Office minister Diana Johnson (pictured) said that the Government would look at aligning the rules for firearms and shotguns
Licensing requirements are at present far more stringent for the 140,000 firearm owners in the UK than they are for the 610,000 shotgun owners (file image)
Farmers blocked Whitehall with hundreds of tractors as they staged another protest against inheritance tax
‘I’ve told Labour MPs in rural constituencies that this is bad politics. We already have the strictest licensing rules in the world. There’s no upside to this – the Government is just going to alienate a major part of the rural community.’
He added that shotgun licence owners were already subject to checks by police and were required to have medical checks.
Changes to this would make it more difficult and restrictive to own shotguns, and would result in higher licensing fees, he added.
It came after dozens of Tory MPs wrote to the Home Secretary earlier this month to oppose the ‘exorbitant’ rise of shotgun certificate fees which will pile more financial pressure on farmers.
A group of 50 opposition MPs urged Yvette Cooper to water down plans to increase firearm licences by up to 157pc, saying Labour had mounted ‘yet another attack on rural communities’.
Renewal of a shotgun certificate has jumped from £49 to £126, while a shotgun grant will rise from £79.50 to £194.
A firearms certificate has increased from £62 to £131, and granting such a certificate has increased by 125pc from £88 to £198.
The Home Office, which is bringing in the changes without consultation, said the surge in fees will help tackle a police funding crisis, the Telegraph reported.
Farmers are already furious with the Government for bringing family farms into the scope of inheritance tax for the first time.
