Good news – yes really!

I am indebted to my honorable friend Mr Clarke for this exerpt from a Lords debate on 25th February in the year of our Lord 2026, on the subject of amendment 178 of the Crime and policing bill. (Reading the whole debate has this effect on you.)

“This amendment removes sound moderators and flash suppressors from the definitions of “firearm” and “shot gun” in the Firearms Act 1968 and creates an offence of possessing a sound moderator or flash suppressor without having a valid firearm or shotgun certificate, or without an exemption applying.”

So now it looks like this will (eventually) become law, by passing an Act to amend an amendment, while at the same time amending the Firearms Act 1968……. Simple really (hmmm.)

When this new Act is passed it will mean that you will no longer have to apply for an amendment to your FAC to obtain a sound moderator – if you have a firearm or shotgun certificate you can buy, sell and possess one.

BUT (Where the legal profession is involved, there’s always a “but”) it will still be an offence to be in possession of a sound moderator without holding a firearm or shotgun certificate – unless you are for some reason exempt from holding a certificate in some circumstances. So you’re exempt, except when you are exempt.

Lord Katz – “My Lords, it is very rare to have both unanimity and common sense break out across the Chamber.”

Lord Clement-Jones “I would say to the noble Lord before he sits down that unanimity and common sense do not always go together.”

….. which implies that common sense may depend on which party you belong to?