A Labour MP whose constituency was rocked by a shooting tragedy two years ago has demanded an apology from Suffolk Coastal MP and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey after she told a meeting that she had blocked gun reform following the incident.

Five people were shot dead and two were injured in the Keyham area of Plymouth in August 2021 before the gunman took his own life. 

It later emerged he had used a legally-held pump-action shotgun.

Following an inquest, the coroner wote to the government recommending that action was taken to tighten-up gun ownership in the wake of the tragedy. However this did not happen.

At a meeting of the British Association of Shooting and Conservation at the Conservative Party conference, Dr Coffey said: “There have been some serious incidents with shotguns in the last year or so and, obviously, people are still dealing with the consequences of those terrible murders in Plymouth.”

She then said there was a tension and a reaction, which needed to happen, and which could have made it much harder for people to have shotguns.

She was widely reported as saying: "There was a potential reaction that would have made it much harder for you to have shotguns and I stopped it - I stopped that." 

Ipswich Star: Luke Pollard's letter to Dr Coffey.Luke Pollard's letter to Dr Coffey. (Image: Luke Pollard/X)

Labour MP for Plymouth Devonport Luke Pollard led the calls for the laws on shotgun ownership to be tightened - and wrote to Dr Coffey accusing her of boasting about blocking new laws and using the tragedy to score party political points.

He wrote: "It is right that you apologise both for your remarks and for your actions to sink reform.

"I would also ask that you clarify which particular reforms you obstructed and outline what conversations you had with ministers and officials regarding this."

We have asked Dr Coffey's office if she has any response to Mr Pollard's letter.