Defra Minister Owen Paterson Sacked

Owen Paterson, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has been sacked from David Cameron's cabinet, much to the delight of environmental campaigners and particularly those opposed to the badger cull.

In the cabinet reshuffle Paterson will be replaced by Liz Truss, parliamentary under-secretary of state for education and childcare since September 2012. Truss was elected MP for South Norfolk in the 2010 general election.

The Countryside Alliance supported Paterson in his limited time at DEFRA but then they have always had their own agenda. In some respects I feel sorry for Liz Truss as no matter who is environment minister, fundamental issues within the department make this an almost impossible role. What knowledge Truss has of farming issues and rural affairs is unclear. I hope she is strong willed enough to face the landowners and large scale farmers who may well become her bête-noire....

 

Police Accused of Bias over Culling of Badgers

More disquieting news about the behaviour of the police and their involvement in action against badger cull protesters. Further evidence on the lobbying power of the NFU and the Countryside Alliance and our weak coalition government that decides to ignore genuine scientific evidence that the cull will not work.

The groundswell of public opinion against the cull continues to gain momentum. Long may it continue.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/24/police-accused-bias-culling-badgers

Nothing Glorious about the Twelfth

As expected there has been an abundance of correspondence in the press about the Glorious Twelfth, a rather inapt name for the day when many individuals, often untrained and inexperienced, invade the countryside to kill and, worse still, to injure wildlife - wildlife managed solely for this purpose. It is well documented that the suffering inflicted on wildlife in many cases surpasses the shooting itself. It is also a fact that a large number of native birds and mammals who interfere with grouse shooting are trapped, poisoned or snared. Victims include stoats, weasels and raptors such as hen harriers, red kites and golden eagles.

Mind you, Adrian Blackmore, Head of the shooting campaign, Countryside Alliance, completely refutes such inflammatory comments as unfair and misleading. Well, he would wouldn't he?

There is no doubt that careful grouse moor management does help many other species of birds, including waders. But there is no doubt that the biggest problem associated with driven grouse shooting  is the number of natural predators that are illegally killed to support the artificial environment of the grouse moor. The illegal killing of raptors happens, despite what Mr Blackmore says, and does nothing to help legitimate shooting, which is more and more populated by tweed-clad gentry who can afford to spend £1,000s on his/her 'sport'.

The illegal killing of birds of prey is rife in the Scottish uplands. What a pity that Mr Blackmore won't acknowledge that and do much more to improve the image of legitimate shooting.

The Red Grouse