A frontbench Conservative spokesman has attacked gun control laws introduced following the Dunblane massacre.

Shadow homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer described the move as "nonsense", and called for children in rural areas to be given lessons in how to handle firearms.

Eight years ago 16 children and their teacher were shot dead at their primary school gym in the Scottish town of Dunblane.

At a fringe meeting of the Conservative spring conference in Harrogate, the Newark MP compared gun crimes to "joy riding", in that while people are killed by cars, cars themselves were not banned.

"It is so much more sensible in my view to train children to handle and have a respect for weapons than simply to ban them," he said.

Speaking on the BBC Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday, Mercer said his comments should be taken in a rural context.

"I said that there was an argument to say that if children, youngsters, are to be able to handle proper firearms safely, later on in life, particularly on the farm, then they should be able to handle them and be taught how to use them safely," he insisted.

Dismissal calls

However, rival parties have called for the MP to be sacked from his frontbench position.

SNP leader John Swinney said Mercer's remarks were "an insult to the memory of the victims of Dunblane and an insult to the families who campaigned so hard to get handguns banned".

"The Tory Party are getting into the habit of making reckless comments and after the Anne Winterton saga, the Tory leadership must now admit Patrick Mercer's outburst is equally disgraceful," he added.

"If Michael Howard does nothing we will be left to assume that he backs his spokesman and that Mr Mercer speaks for his party.

"If he does speak for the Tories then shame on them. If he doesn't Mr Howard must sack him immediately.

"Too many people across this country have had their lives and families destroyed by gun crime to let Mr Mercer's comments go."

Dr Mick North, whose daughter Sophie was killed in the 1996 shooting, said he had been concerned about the Conservative position on the handgun ban.

"As far as his other comments are concerned, I think he's pushing a line that the gun lobby are always pushing and that is introduce guns to children at an early age and you've got future shooters and customers there," he added.

"We don't introduce children to other kinds of lethal equipment until they're really old enough and I don't really see why guns are any different."