Bringing in snap law changes can have interesting and unforseen results. Most European countries with tight gun regs haven't brought those rules in overnight.
Having said that, gun related crime in the UK is on the rise and as a private citizen I'm not allowed a handgun to defend my self, although if I could prove I was a farmer I might be able to get a shotgun licence, now there's an idea?
Mind you what is far worse is that the Northen Terrortories in Oz have been lumbered with an 80mph speed limit, now that is depressing! Ok that still leaves the certain stretches of German Autobhan and the mountain roads of the Isle of Man and a couple of other places were you can drive properly but its a pretty sad state of affairs.