Backbencher Randy Horton could table his motion for a cross-party committee on gang violence next week, after receiving backing from political colleagues.

Premier Ewart Brown has previously cast doubt over the idea — saying Bermuda's MPs don't have the expertise to solve gun problems — but Mr. Horton believes he has enough support from the rest of the House of Assembly to press ahead.

Under Mr. Horton's proposal, MPs from all sides of the House would meet, drawing on feedback from well-placed members of the community, to discuss how to tackle the epidemic which has claimed six lives and left 14 people injured this year.

The former Home Affairs Minister told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "It's going very well. Obviously it's something that I wanted to get feedback from my colleagues on.

"I have made significant progress since the last time I spoke about it on the floor of the House [two weeks ago] and I'm hoping I will be able to table it next week, or the week after that."

When Mr. Horton raised the suggestion three months ago, Dr. Brown told the House: "To be brutally honest the expertise to eradicate these concerns from Bermuda does not exist in this House."

But Mr. Horton said the Premier had not recently indicated he was against the move, adding: "I have moved on and we are at the point we are at.

"What was important to me was that I have discussion with my colleagues before moving forward. I have been blessed with the kind of feedback from them that I have received."

The United Bermuda Party and Bermuda Democratic Alliance have both publicly indicated support for Mr. Horton's proposal.

Speaking hours after two young men were injured in a drive-by shooting in Friswell's Hill, Pembroke, Mr. Horton said yesterday: "I just think that we need to put on all the resources that we have available to us, because we are facing what is really a very, very real threat to Bermuda.

"It's a national issue. I just believe that we have got to draw on resources from all sides, so we can have some strong recommendations and then follow up with action."

Mr. Horton said he expected the public would welcome most aspects of the joint select committee meetings, but that issue had not yet been discussed.