New Shotgun Referee Rule ‘Misses the Mark’ on Gun Safety, Say Critics

Firearms licensing changes coming into effect this September will require shotgun certificate applicants to provide two referees instead of one, but BASC argues the move sidesteps more effective safety measures.

The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025, affecting England, Wales and Scotland from 5 September, double the referee requirement for new shotgun certificates. However, BASC questions whether this administrative change will actually improve public safety.

Is the Two-Referee System Effective?

BASC’s firearms director, Bill Harriman, drawing on 35 years of experience, reports no instances of certificate refusals based on referee concerns. “If a referee’s suitability is questioned, police simply ask applicants to find someone else,” he explained.

What is the Proposed Alternative?

Instead, BASC advocates for mandatory medical markers on certificate holders’ GP records. This system, available since a 2023 Department of Health IT upgrade, would flag firearms owners to doctors treating mental health conditions or other issues that could affect safe gun ownership.

Despite overwhelming support from police and shooting communities during recent consultations, the Home Office rejected mandatory medical markers. Two years after the system’s introduction, neither the Home Office nor the Department of Health can confirm how many GP practices have implemented the marking system.

Cross-Party Concerns Raised

Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown echoed BASC’s concerns, emphasising that proper monitoring of certificate holders’ mental and physical health would deliver greater public safety benefits than additional paperwork.

An Ongoing Debate on Firearms Safety

The changes will take effect as debate continues over the most effective approaches to firearms safety, with shooting organisations and officials disagreeing on which measures would best serve public protection.