THE Government faces a clash with the House of Lords over Jack Straw's plans to ban all handguns.

Peers are threatening to torpedo legislation to outlaw all pistols which is to be unveiled in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Mr Straw will offer MPs a free vote on his plan to end the opt-out for small calibre handguns kept in secure shooting clubs left by the Tories.

His plan has been strongly supported by Rod Mayor, the husband of East Lancashire-born teacher Gwen, who died along with 16 of her pupils in the Dunblane massacre.

But both Tory and Labour members of the House of Lords are to try and wreck the legislation.

The Earl of Shrewsbury and another senior Tory, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, who successfully amended the Tory's legislation requiring MPs to reverse the changes, have pledged to mount a similar operation.

Lord Pearson said: "Public opinion is moving against the knee-jerk reaction to the Dunblane tragedy in favour of something sensible."

For Labour, Lord Stoddart of Swindon, has condemned Blackburn MP Mr Straw's plan as "unjust" and "undemocratic" saying: "I think the House of Lords should throw it out."

But Mr Straw is determined to get the legislation on the statue book and the government is prepared to create enough new Peers to force the legislation through if necessary.

Eventually it plans to scrap the voting rights of hereditary peers.

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