How gun control laws changed in the UK
1. 1987 - Michael Ryan shot and killed 16 people
2. 1996 - Thomas Hamilton shot and killed sixteen 5 year old children and 1 teacher in a school shooting
3. Most weapons involved in the shooting were legally held
4. Both men took their own lives at the scene
5. As a result the law was tightened in 1997 following the government enquiry led by a senior former judge, Lord Cullen
6. John Major's Conservative government introduced an act banning all handguns except .22 single shot weapons
7. Following Labour's victory in the general election later that year, Tony Blair's government introduced a second firearms act, banning the remaining handguns as well