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....
Showing posts with label David Cameron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Cameron. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
European MEP Elections
For readers in the UK, will you be voting tomorrow to elect MEPs in your area? There are 31 parties putting up candidates for these EU elections tomorrow, 22nd May. Yes, that is thirty-one.
Those parties who had candidates elected in the 2009 big yawn event included Conservatives with 25 MEPs, UKIP with 13 MEPs, Labour with 13 MEPs, Liberal Democrats with 11 MEPs, the Green Party with 2 MEPs, the BNP with 2 MEPs, the Scottish National Party with 2 MEPs, zzzzzzzzzz..... sorry, almost nodded off there for a moment.
What is my point? Well, I guess my point is that most of us do not know what the fuck these 'elected' MEPs do for us apart from turn up in Brussels or Strasbourg or wherever else the fancy takes them, earn ridiculous salaries, draw untold expenses, keep their heads down and have no influence whatsoever on the legislation that matters to us because that has already been decided upon by unelected EU Commissioners.
Nick Clegg would have you believe that you are unpatriotic if you do not want the United Kingdom to stay in the EU. Unpatriotic?! I know where my patriotism lies Mr. Clegg...
Do you know how much the United Kingdom pays into EU coffers? Britain's payments to the EU have soared to an eye-watering £53 million a day. Even taking into account Britain's receipts from the EU we taxpayers are still contributing a net figure of £30 million to Brussels every day. These figures show just how much we are being bled dry by our membership of the EU. Can anybody show me the benefits? After Germany, the UK is the second biggest net contributor to Brussels of the 27 EU member states.
If you would like to see an end to this, like me, get out to your polling station tomorrow and vote, or, if you are happy with the status quo, don't bother but please don't put your faith in the promised EU Referendum offered by David Cameron. Pipe dreams...
Those parties who had candidates elected in the 2009 big yawn event included Conservatives with 25 MEPs, UKIP with 13 MEPs, Labour with 13 MEPs, Liberal Democrats with 11 MEPs, the Green Party with 2 MEPs, the BNP with 2 MEPs, the Scottish National Party with 2 MEPs, zzzzzzzzzz..... sorry, almost nodded off there for a moment.
What is my point? Well, I guess my point is that most of us do not know what the fuck these 'elected' MEPs do for us apart from turn up in Brussels or Strasbourg or wherever else the fancy takes them, earn ridiculous salaries, draw untold expenses, keep their heads down and have no influence whatsoever on the legislation that matters to us because that has already been decided upon by unelected EU Commissioners.
Nick Clegg would have you believe that you are unpatriotic if you do not want the United Kingdom to stay in the EU. Unpatriotic?! I know where my patriotism lies Mr. Clegg...
Do you know how much the United Kingdom pays into EU coffers? Britain's payments to the EU have soared to an eye-watering £53 million a day. Even taking into account Britain's receipts from the EU we taxpayers are still contributing a net figure of £30 million to Brussels every day. These figures show just how much we are being bled dry by our membership of the EU. Can anybody show me the benefits? After Germany, the UK is the second biggest net contributor to Brussels of the 27 EU member states.
If you would like to see an end to this, like me, get out to your polling station tomorrow and vote, or, if you are happy with the status quo, don't bother but please don't put your faith in the promised EU Referendum offered by David Cameron. Pipe dreams...
Monday, 23 December 2013
Hungry in Cameron's Cotswolds
In its drive for 'deficit reduction' at any cost Cameron's government has turned its back on the genuine cases of poverty, hardship and homelessness that blight our country. The number of persons depending on food banks has risen to staggering proportions, while this government stands idly by and cuts welfare payments, introduces the 'bedroom tax', tells individuals who are clearly unwell that they are fit for work and yet anticipates a 10% pay increase when other public sector workers are told to accept 1%.
This is supposed to be the season of goodwill to all men. I don't see much of that coming from Cameron and his cronies. This article from The Independent says it all:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hungry-in-camerons-cotswolds-beyond-the-4x4s-and-classy-shops-of-the-pms-own-constituency-a-food-bank-is-alarmingly-busy-9020229.html
This is supposed to be the season of goodwill to all men. I don't see much of that coming from Cameron and his cronies. This article from The Independent says it all:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hungry-in-camerons-cotswolds-beyond-the-4x4s-and-classy-shops-of-the-pms-own-constituency-a-food-bank-is-alarmingly-busy-9020229.html
Friday, 18 October 2013
The Shameful Badger Cull
The groundswell of public opinion against the badger cull and its probable extension, gains momentum. Secretary of State for the Environment, Owen Paterson, wants to extend the cull because marksmen failed to kill the target proportion of badgers, falling well short of their target of killing 70% of badgers within the cull zones. Just recently we have learned that 708 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire out of an original target of 2,900 badgers. And, as we all know, according to Mr Paterson: "the badgers moved the goalposts". In making such a ludicrous statement DEFRA scored an embarrassing own goal. Had it not been for the emergency deployment of cages to trap and kill these poor animals when it became obvious that shooting wasn't working, then the kill figures would have been far lower. The failure of the pilot culls to reach their targets should not be used as an excuse to extend shooters' licences for three additional weeks.
There has been little if any monitoring of the shooting, whether or not badgers shot were killed cleanly. Any number of badgers could have been painfully wounded and fled underground to die. We will never know. Moreover, DEFRA did not include testing of badgers for bovine TB as part of the cull, even though testing of badger carcasses would have been easy enough to do and experts urged it.
And now Owen Paterson is considering gassing whole families of badgers in their setts as a possible future 'tool' for killing our remarkable animals. According to a new YouGov opinion poll 58% of the public would not support the government authorising badger gassing. Indeed, three years ago prime minister, David Cameron, famously called gassing "very cruel". Gassing is excluded as a method of killing species listed by the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern convention) which includes badgers.
Mr Paterson's conduct throughout this hapless episode has resulted in him becoming little more than a laughing stock, amazing when our Government seeks to play a leading role in matters concerning biodiversity protection and wildlife crime.
It's time the Government got serious about protecting our wildlife and our farm animals and left our badgers alone.
There has been little if any monitoring of the shooting, whether or not badgers shot were killed cleanly. Any number of badgers could have been painfully wounded and fled underground to die. We will never know. Moreover, DEFRA did not include testing of badgers for bovine TB as part of the cull, even though testing of badger carcasses would have been easy enough to do and experts urged it.
And now Owen Paterson is considering gassing whole families of badgers in their setts as a possible future 'tool' for killing our remarkable animals. According to a new YouGov opinion poll 58% of the public would not support the government authorising badger gassing. Indeed, three years ago prime minister, David Cameron, famously called gassing "very cruel". Gassing is excluded as a method of killing species listed by the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern convention) which includes badgers.
Mr Paterson's conduct throughout this hapless episode has resulted in him becoming little more than a laughing stock, amazing when our Government seeks to play a leading role in matters concerning biodiversity protection and wildlife crime.
It's time the Government got serious about protecting our wildlife and our farm animals and left our badgers alone.
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Badger Culls Kill Scientific Honesty
Like so many people in the United Kingdom I am in despair and angry over the Government's intransigence in ignoring the science of epidemiology concerning our badger population. It appears that, even in the face of irrefutable scientific evidence, our government of bully boys are determined to continue with the extermination of wild badgers. Once again, the arguments in favour of continuing the badger cull, as put forward by our Environment Minister, Owen Paterson, are less than scientific.
Please read this to understand what is at stake here.
http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/other_comments/2119726/badger_culls_kill_scientific_honesty.html
A government that has lost the argument with Joe Public. A government so in favour of rich farmers and landowners that it is prepared to completely ignore sensible alternatives to culling, a government that ignores the voices of so many of the electorate. A government that is hell bent on destroying our wildlife, a government without a credible argument, a government that sees climate change as a business opportunity, a government that cares nothing for the vast majority of UK voters.
As a retired businessman I am reluctant to state that I will never vote for Cameron again. He has shown complete disdain for scientific evidence and has positioned himself far beyond my trust. He, together with Owen Paterson, has lost the support of my entire family....
Please read this to understand what is at stake here.
http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/other_comments/2119726/badger_culls_kill_scientific_honesty.html
A government that has lost the argument with Joe Public. A government so in favour of rich farmers and landowners that it is prepared to completely ignore sensible alternatives to culling, a government that ignores the voices of so many of the electorate. A government that is hell bent on destroying our wildlife, a government without a credible argument, a government that sees climate change as a business opportunity, a government that cares nothing for the vast majority of UK voters.
As a retired businessman I am reluctant to state that I will never vote for Cameron again. He has shown complete disdain for scientific evidence and has positioned himself far beyond my trust. He, together with Owen Paterson, has lost the support of my entire family....
Friday, 11 October 2013
Somerset Badger Cull Given Extension
The government agency Natural England (there is nothing 'natural' about this gang of bloodthirsty individuals) has granted a licence to extend the badger cull in Somerset until 1st November. The planned six-week trial came to an end on Monday but the firm charged with slaughtering our badger population asked for more time after its 'marksmen' fell short of murdering the target of 70% of the badger population.
Government ministers and the NFU, that union of wealthy landowning farmers who don't care a fig about our wildlife, say badger culling is needed to control cattle TB. For those of you who read my blog you will know that this is so contrary to the truth behind the spread of bovine TB and yet these wretched people are hell bent on destroying a protected species of our wildlife instead of embarking on a course of vaccinating them as an acceptable alternative.
David Cameron, Owen Paterson and their other right wing allies have polarised the UK voting public over this issue. They have totally underestimated the groundswell of hatred that this has engendered for the coalition government, amongst reasonable minded people who voted for them. I am a retired Managing Director. In my lifetime I have supported an ethic of business building to create employment, to increase incomes to be spent on the High Street and - yes - I have voted Conservative. But, no more. I now have more time to consider the political motives of our elected government and I am ashamed of what the coalition are doing viz-a-viz the NHS, the Welfare State, Education, Banking, Climate Change and above all - the Environment. You, Mr Cameron, aided by Mr Paterson, have lost the votes of my entire family. Your arrogance in ignoring scientific evidence that has concluded, and been reported to you, that a badger cull is not only futile, may well increase the incidence of TB in cattle by perturbation, and is a crime against a protected species, may well lead to your downfall. To extend the licence for the cull in Somerset is the action of a desperate man and a breach of trust of all those, like me, who voted for you.
Well, let me say this. What goes around comes around. You might not believe that your action and that of Owen Paterson in this crime against our wildlife is a major issue. I believe that you will be remembered for this and you should dwell on your decision when you pack your bags and leave No. 10.
And, frankly, I cannot wait for that to happen.
Government ministers and the NFU, that union of wealthy landowning farmers who don't care a fig about our wildlife, say badger culling is needed to control cattle TB. For those of you who read my blog you will know that this is so contrary to the truth behind the spread of bovine TB and yet these wretched people are hell bent on destroying a protected species of our wildlife instead of embarking on a course of vaccinating them as an acceptable alternative.
David Cameron, Owen Paterson and their other right wing allies have polarised the UK voting public over this issue. They have totally underestimated the groundswell of hatred that this has engendered for the coalition government, amongst reasonable minded people who voted for them. I am a retired Managing Director. In my lifetime I have supported an ethic of business building to create employment, to increase incomes to be spent on the High Street and - yes - I have voted Conservative. But, no more. I now have more time to consider the political motives of our elected government and I am ashamed of what the coalition are doing viz-a-viz the NHS, the Welfare State, Education, Banking, Climate Change and above all - the Environment. You, Mr Cameron, aided by Mr Paterson, have lost the votes of my entire family. Your arrogance in ignoring scientific evidence that has concluded, and been reported to you, that a badger cull is not only futile, may well increase the incidence of TB in cattle by perturbation, and is a crime against a protected species, may well lead to your downfall. To extend the licence for the cull in Somerset is the action of a desperate man and a breach of trust of all those, like me, who voted for you.
Well, let me say this. What goes around comes around. You might not believe that your action and that of Owen Paterson in this crime against our wildlife is a major issue. I believe that you will be remembered for this and you should dwell on your decision when you pack your bags and leave No. 10.
And, frankly, I cannot wait for that to happen.
Monday, 7 October 2013
England's Wildlife Killing Fields...
This is the best article by a country mile that I have read on the badger cull and shows conclusively that Owen Paterson, UK Minister for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should resign or be dismissed as totally incompetent. Having said that I have to stifle a yawn over David Cameron's cabinet reshuffle that bears no more weight than the flick of a feather duster. So, without further ado, whether or not you have an opinion on the badger cull and whether or not it will help to reduce bovine Tb, I urge you to read this. A most compelling piece...
http://www.globalresearch.ca/englands-killing-fields-h-m-governments-badger-culls-kill-scientific-honesty/5352805
http://www.globalresearch.ca/englands-killing-fields-h-m-governments-badger-culls-kill-scientific-honesty/5352805
Monday, 9 September 2013
The Truth about Bovine Tb
The current badger cull in Somerset and Gloucestershire has divided the nation. On one side the powerful National Farmers Union (NFU), DEFRA, our Environment Minister, Owen Paterson, our Prime Minister, David Cameron and our elected dictatorship and on the other the like minded members of the National Trust, the Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, the Badger Trust, Nature Conservation and such well informed people as Dr Brian May, Lord Krebs and Dominic Dyer.
And me.
For the TRUTH about Bovine Tb please watch this informed video of Dominic Dyer talking at the Badger March on 7th September in Taunton, Somerset. Listen to his compelling evidence that this cull is not only wrong, it is futile and ill-informed and is driven by the greed of the NFU that has completely distorted the facts surrounding the origin of this disease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1mxVO4-U3EU
The badger cull is now likely to be rolled out to take in East and West Sussex. Mike Weatherley, the conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, has signed a Parliamentary Motion to call on the government to allow a vote in the Commons to decide on the further badger cull. Mike said: "This badger cull is entirely unnecessary......" We, the people, agree. It is time for the stench of the NFU and its supporters to be shown for what it is. A package of lies to hide the fact that Bovine Tb originated in cattle and not badgers. And yet these people want to virtually wipe out an animal that is supposed to be protected in this country of ours.
Join your local Badger Protection Group and take a stand for our wildlife. Owen Paterson cares nothing for badgers. Indeed, he wants farmers to be given the right to shoot any badger on sight. What a contemptible man he is - and he is our Environment Minister. He should be ashamed for ignoring popular opinion, but then isn't that typical of this coalition government in general?
Write to your MPs and urge them to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 299 Pilot Badger Cull Parliamentary Assessment and Vote. Make your own MP accountable for the views of his/her constituents and not the demands of the government whips.
United, we can put a stop to this massacre of our wildlife.
And me.
For the TRUTH about Bovine Tb please watch this informed video of Dominic Dyer talking at the Badger March on 7th September in Taunton, Somerset. Listen to his compelling evidence that this cull is not only wrong, it is futile and ill-informed and is driven by the greed of the NFU that has completely distorted the facts surrounding the origin of this disease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1mxVO4-U3EU
The badger cull is now likely to be rolled out to take in East and West Sussex. Mike Weatherley, the conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, has signed a Parliamentary Motion to call on the government to allow a vote in the Commons to decide on the further badger cull. Mike said: "This badger cull is entirely unnecessary......" We, the people, agree. It is time for the stench of the NFU and its supporters to be shown for what it is. A package of lies to hide the fact that Bovine Tb originated in cattle and not badgers. And yet these people want to virtually wipe out an animal that is supposed to be protected in this country of ours.
Join your local Badger Protection Group and take a stand for our wildlife. Owen Paterson cares nothing for badgers. Indeed, he wants farmers to be given the right to shoot any badger on sight. What a contemptible man he is - and he is our Environment Minister. He should be ashamed for ignoring popular opinion, but then isn't that typical of this coalition government in general?
Write to your MPs and urge them to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 299 Pilot Badger Cull Parliamentary Assessment and Vote. Make your own MP accountable for the views of his/her constituents and not the demands of the government whips.
United, we can put a stop to this massacre of our wildlife.
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