Farage defends past remarks after Lib Dems say he wants to roll back gun laws

Nigel Farage has defended past comments after the Lib Dems accused him of wanting to roll back gun laws and spark “mass shooting” drills in British schools.

During a phone-in on LBC, the Reform UK leader said he had been talking about shooting ranges.

He said: “The Olympic team should not have to go to Calais to practice, is what I said… (in) every other country in the world you have secure gun clubs where people can shoot.”

He added: “Probably Ed Davey would ban all guns and ban shootings in, I don’t know… I certainly wouldn’t.”

As head of Reform UK, Mr Farage has not spoken about gun control.

But in 2014, as Ukip leader, he called a ban on handguns “ludicrous” and said firearms laws should be relaxed.

Restrictions on small arms put in place after the 1996 Dunblane massacre were a “kneejerk” response, Mr Farage said at the time.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey took aim at the Reform UK leader during the party’s annual conference.

In his speech to wrap up the political gathering, the Lib Dem leader asked party members to “imagine living in the Trump-inspired country Farage wants us to become”.

He added: “Where gun laws are rolled back, so schools have to teach our children what to do in case of a mass shooting.

“That is Trump’s America. Don’t let it become Farage’s Britain,” Sir Ed said.

Of the Lib Dem leader, Mr Farage said: “I don’t think you should take him too seriously.”

He called Sir Ed “totally obsessive” with regard to the number of times he mentioned Mr Farage in his speech.

“He didn’t tell the country what he was for in any way at all, just what he’s against, which is me and Trump. And he doesn’t want us to live in a Trump-style country,” Mr Farage said.