SIR: The Gary Titley column on Wednesday evening has depressed and amazed me as a target shooter and Labour voter for over 30 years. My depression stems from his following the Labour party line of an absolute ban on firearms prior to publication of the Cullen inquiry (the first objective study of UK firearms legislation in recent memory) and a willingness to deny constructive democratic debate when all facts are available. My amazement arises from his stature as an MEP which suggests that he should be reflecting UK legislation against a European background where firearms legislation is restrictive (and especially so within the UK) rather than the USA where completely different conditions prevail.

The British Shooting Sports Confederation (Mr Titley's "Gun Lobby") believes that all legislation should be reviewed and modified appropriately if research (and not hysteria) demonstrates both a need for and a means by which it may be effectively enforced. This entirely reasonable view is democratically defended by myself and nearly one million other sporting shooters within the UK. The position currently taken by many politicians and media will serve only to harden the position of a significant law-abiding minority and promote single-issue voting at the next election.

Richard Horrocks

Bolton (Address supplied)

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