Nigel Farage urged to apologise for calling post-Dunblane handgun ban 'ludicrous'

The Reform UK leader said in 2014 that the gun controls brought in after the deadliest mass shooting in British history were a “knee-jerk reaction”.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticised Mr Farage’s comments at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday afternoon.

Sir Keir Starmer said “we should be enormously grateful” the victims’ families who “fought to make this country a safer place”.

This Friday marks the 30th anniversary since 16 schoolchildren and their school teacher were killed in the Scottish town by Thomas Hamilton.

The gunman entered the primary school with four illegally-owned handguns and 743 rounds of ammunition.

Mick North, whose daughter five-year-old daughter Sophie was killed in the atrocity, recently said the UK’s gun laws are still to lax.

Following his daughter’s death, Mr North was amongst those who tirelessly campaigned for a complete ban on private handgun ownership.

He has recently raised concerns over the rise of 3D-printed guns and converted replica guns, as well as weapons with barrels just long enough to fall outside the handgun ban .

Mr North has also pressed ministers to bring in stricter background checks for licences, including taking into account social media posts and the views of an applicant's partner.

He also called for Mr Farage to renounce his comments made 12 years ago.

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Sir Ed told the House of Commons on Wednesday: “30 years ago this week, a man carried four handguns into Dunblane Primary School, murdered a teacher and 16 children.

“I was deeply moved by the BBC documentary about it last night and the courage of the parents who campaigned for a ban on handguns to keep other children safe.

“Including Mick North, who lost his five-year-old daughter Sophie on that dark day.

“He’s rightly called on the honourable member for Clacton to renounce his description of the handgun ban as, and I quote, ‘ludicrous’.

“Something the member still refuses to do.

“Mr North has also called for a review of firearms legislation to close any loopholes.

“Does the Prime Minister agree?”

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Sir Keir replied: “I certainly do and we must never forget the horror of Dunblane.

“And never forget the young children and their teacher who did not come home from school.

“The campaign that families fought to make this country a safer place is a lasting legacy and we should be enormously grateful for their courage.”

Mr North told the BBC: "There is a man out there who some people might be predicting could be the prime minister of this country who is advocating re-arming people.”

The Reform UK leader said in a statement: “I assure you Reform UK has absolutely no plans to loosen gun laws. My previous comments referred to the impracticality of laws affecting competitive sports ”