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 Owen Paterson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Owen Paterson. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Thursday, 3 April 2014
Badger cull expansion is abandoned
The government has abandoned its planned expansion of badger culling to reduce TB in cattle, according to a BBC report.
“The environment department’s original plan was to announce up to 10 new cull areas in South West England each year,” the report states.
Defra’s own independent assessment shows that culls in two pilot areas were not effective, and raised questions about their humaneness.
But it wasn’t all good news: “These pilot culls will continue, though there will be no independent oversight to assess their future performance".
In a Commons statement, the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson proposed a programme of vaccination around the edges of the most badly affected parts of the country. “This”, he said, “would create a buffer zone of immunity that would stop the disease from spreading.”
Wasn’t that what the experts wanted in the first place?
Friday, 14 February 2014
Defra's astonishing new TB figures
New figures just released by Defra show that bovine TB was declining in UK herds - just as Paterson claimed the disease was 'spreading' - and that Wales's no-cull, biosecurity and vaccination policy led to a 24% drop in herd infections.
Wales's biosecurity measures, combined with its small-scale badger vaccination programme, was astonishingly successful.
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Defiant Minister Owen Paterson
Owen Paterson pledges "not to drop our spades and run away home". What a despicable analogy. He also says that "sadly a badger vaccine does not work on diseased animals". I believe that to be the case. But then how do you know how many of the badgers you have butchered carry the disease when the carcasses are not being tested for the presence of the virus. Which no doubt means that your arrogant approach is responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of healthy animals.
And DEFRA's definition of humane slaughter is measured by "how long a wounded badger screams"....
Paterson and his Tory bully-boys, rich landowners and the NFU could well become responsible for the extinction of one of our most cherished wild animals. You refuse to listen to reasoned debate and you refuse to consider alternative measures. I despise you.
And DEFRA's definition of humane slaughter is measured by "how long a wounded badger screams"....
Paterson and his Tory bully-boys, rich landowners and the NFU could well become responsible for the extinction of one of our most cherished wild animals. You refuse to listen to reasoned debate and you refuse to consider alternative measures. I despise you.
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
UK's Wild Bird Population Continues to Decline
The number of wild birds in the UK is still falling despite efforts to protect them by changing farming practices. Conservationists have urged the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, to use the money newly available from the EU's common agricultural policy to step up protection measures.
Since 2003 there has been a 13% decline in the population of farmland birds. In the five years to the end of 2012 the decline was 8% overall. The decline has slowed according to the Wild Bird Indicator statistics released by the government last Thursday and some species are in better health than they were in the 1970s when data began to be comprehensively collected. However, conservationists (including me) are concerned that the drop in numbers is continuing with a halving of farmland bird numbers in the past 40 years. Woodland bird numbers are down 17%.
Turtle Doves have had their lowest level of sightings since records began. Lapwing numbers are down by nearly two thirds since 1970, while Corn Buntings are down 90% in the same period and the number of Skylarks is down by well over half. These are truly alarming statistics.
Farmland birds suffer from intensive agriculture as farmers often remove or drastically cut back the hedges and trees where many of them live. Pesticides can leave them with less prey and a lack of wide field margins cuts down on habitat.
The decline in farmland birds has slowed and wildlife friendly farmers who put conservation measures in place on their land are to be congratulated for their hard work. But funding must be there for these measures to continue. Under reforms to the CAP that were agreed this summer our government has the ability to divert some of the millions of pounds available (which come ultimately from taxpayers) to environmental stewardship schemes to reward farmers for good practice. Needless to say, Owen Paterson has still not said how he intends to allocate the funding and given the governments freedom of action under the new rules, much of it could go to farmers not based on their practices but on the amount of land they farm, as other subsidies are. Without Paterson's help farmland wildlife will continue to struggle along with those farmers trying to help.
Since 2003 there has been a 13% decline in the population of farmland birds. In the five years to the end of 2012 the decline was 8% overall. The decline has slowed according to the Wild Bird Indicator statistics released by the government last Thursday and some species are in better health than they were in the 1970s when data began to be comprehensively collected. However, conservationists (including me) are concerned that the drop in numbers is continuing with a halving of farmland bird numbers in the past 40 years. Woodland bird numbers are down 17%.
Turtle Doves have had their lowest level of sightings since records began. Lapwing numbers are down by nearly two thirds since 1970, while Corn Buntings are down 90% in the same period and the number of Skylarks is down by well over half. These are truly alarming statistics.
Farmland birds suffer from intensive agriculture as farmers often remove or drastically cut back the hedges and trees where many of them live. Pesticides can leave them with less prey and a lack of wide field margins cuts down on habitat.
The decline in farmland birds has slowed and wildlife friendly farmers who put conservation measures in place on their land are to be congratulated for their hard work. But funding must be there for these measures to continue. Under reforms to the CAP that were agreed this summer our government has the ability to divert some of the millions of pounds available (which come ultimately from taxpayers) to environmental stewardship schemes to reward farmers for good practice. Needless to say, Owen Paterson has still not said how he intends to allocate the funding and given the governments freedom of action under the new rules, much of it could go to farmers not based on their practices but on the amount of land they farm, as other subsidies are. Without Paterson's help farmland wildlife will continue to struggle along with those farmers trying to help.
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Badger Trust Launches Legal Challenge
Today the Badger Trust has launched a legal challenge to halt the killing of badgers. The Trust has warned the authorities to abandon the shooting or face a High Court challenge on the grounds that a plan to more than double the killing period is illegal.
The legal firm acting for the Badger Trust is Bindmans LLC, one of the top ranked chambers in London. Head of Chambers is Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC. The firm is recognised for its public order work and its experience with protest law and the right to protest. The firm has successfully represented campaigners on issues as diverse as racial equality, animal rights, peace, the environment, anti-austerity and social justice. The Badger Trust will be well represented and it will be interesting to see if Owen Paterson and DEFRA continue to defy the challenge and end up in front of the High Court.
This is likely to prove to be an expensive exercise; Bindmans don't come cheaply. I am sure that the Trust will welcome donations to the fighting fund. I am attaching a link to the letter that Bindmans LLC has issued to Natural England.
http://www.badger.org.uk/_Attachments/Resources/941_S4.pdf
The legal firm acting for the Badger Trust is Bindmans LLC, one of the top ranked chambers in London. Head of Chambers is Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC. The firm is recognised for its public order work and its experience with protest law and the right to protest. The firm has successfully represented campaigners on issues as diverse as racial equality, animal rights, peace, the environment, anti-austerity and social justice. The Badger Trust will be well represented and it will be interesting to see if Owen Paterson and DEFRA continue to defy the challenge and end up in front of the High Court.
This is likely to prove to be an expensive exercise; Bindmans don't come cheaply. I am sure that the Trust will welcome donations to the fighting fund. I am attaching a link to the letter that Bindmans LLC has issued to Natural England.
http://www.badger.org.uk/_Attachments/Resources/941_S4.pdf
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.
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Pro Cull MPs Risk Losing Seats
A recent straw poll conducted amongst Joe Public has indicated that a majority of the electorate would not vote for candidates at the next general election who had shown support for the badger cull. So be it. What goes around comes around.
And in the face of more empty rhetoric from Owen Paterson this latest report once again confirms the needless slaughter is without scientific support. But then we already knew that.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/17/badger-goalposts-cull-owen-paterson-bovine-tb?CMP=twt_gu
And in the face of more empty rhetoric from Owen Paterson this latest report once again confirms the needless slaughter is without scientific support. But then we already knew that.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/17/badger-goalposts-cull-owen-paterson-bovine-tb?CMP=twt_gu
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.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Call for Environment Secretary to Resign
Take a look at the obnoxious Owen Paterson posturing in parliament about the badger cull. One Labour MP called on him to resign as I am sure the majority of the voting public would welcome as well.
http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2013-10-10/call-for-environment-sec-to-resign-over-badger-cull/
Owen Paterson is an industry puppet. This is the minister who makes nonsensical claims about the benefits of GM technology and clearly does not understand the dangers genetically modified crops pose to the ecosystem. Despite this, Owen Paterson has launched a campaign to grow GM crops in Britain.
Owen Paterson is a key member of the Conservative right along with chancellor George Osborne, education secretary Michael Gove and Ian Duncan Smith, the Work & Pensions secretary. That is some gang of four, each one of them despised by so many in Britain. The worst of these is Mr Paterson - he is against gay marriage, deeply sceptical about Europe and has yet to clarify whether or not he believes in man-made global warming. In April he fought against a Europe-wide ban on nerve-agent pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, which many scientists believe are accelerating the decline in bee populations, arguing that there was insufficient evidence. I am sure that he has a vested interest in Monsanto...
To have this man as our environment secretary is of major concern as it appears he cares nothing for the very cause he is supposed to champion and defend. He prefers to slaughter our cherished wildlife in spite of irrefutable scientific evidence that this is indefensible madness that is already costing millions of £s that could have been far better spent on a programme of inoculation.
Owen Paterson must go.
http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2013-10-10/call-for-environment-sec-to-resign-over-badger-cull/
Owen Paterson is an industry puppet. This is the minister who makes nonsensical claims about the benefits of GM technology and clearly does not understand the dangers genetically modified crops pose to the ecosystem. Despite this, Owen Paterson has launched a campaign to grow GM crops in Britain.
Owen Paterson is a key member of the Conservative right along with chancellor George Osborne, education secretary Michael Gove and Ian Duncan Smith, the Work & Pensions secretary. That is some gang of four, each one of them despised by so many in Britain. The worst of these is Mr Paterson - he is against gay marriage, deeply sceptical about Europe and has yet to clarify whether or not he believes in man-made global warming. In April he fought against a Europe-wide ban on nerve-agent pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, which many scientists believe are accelerating the decline in bee populations, arguing that there was insufficient evidence. I am sure that he has a vested interest in Monsanto...
To have this man as our environment secretary is of major concern as it appears he cares nothing for the very cause he is supposed to champion and defend. He prefers to slaughter our cherished wildlife in spite of irrefutable scientific evidence that this is indefensible madness that is already costing millions of £s that could have been far better spent on a programme of inoculation.
Owen Paterson must go.
Paterson's Spectacular Own Goal
The insufferable Owen Paterson scored a spectacular own goal yesterday when he said, in response to far lower than expected cull figures that: "the badgers had moved the goal posts..." !! A quite remarkable feat by this protected animal. Read more here: http://guardianlv.com/2013/10/owen-paterson-says-more-badgers-must-die/
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Badger Cull Extension Sought
A failure to kill enough badgers (paradoxically I call this a success) has forced those behind England's controversial cull to seek an extension of the night-time shoots in a last-ditch attempt to make up the numbers. Culling is intended to curb the rise of tuberculosis in cattle but experts have warned that dragging out the killing gives more opportunity for badgers to flee the gunmen and could increase TB infections. Mind you, that presupposes that those badgers that escape the gunsights are actually infected, doesn't it?
The UK's leading badger expert, Professor Rosie Woodroffe, said: "I would stop the culls now. They have failed to meet the legal licensing target. There are now many serious questions about this whole approach to TB control."
Ministers are expected to issue a written statement today to parliament. Environment secretary Owen Paterson, bedfellow of the NFU, has argued that the cull is an essential part of TB control even though leading scientists have dismissed the policy as "mindless" and "a costly distraction" from improving vaccination and controls on cattle movements.
The UK's leading badger expert, Professor Rosie Woodroffe, said: "I would stop the culls now. They have failed to meet the legal licensing target. There are now many serious questions about this whole approach to TB control."
Ministers are expected to issue a written statement today to parliament. Environment secretary Owen Paterson, bedfellow of the NFU, has argued that the cull is an essential part of TB control even though leading scientists have dismissed the policy as "mindless" and "a costly distraction" from improving vaccination and controls on cattle movements.
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.
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Tweetstorm for Owen Paterson
Yesterday, 4th September, marked the first anniversary of Owen Paterson's appointment as Environment Secretary. In this role he is expected to support any action that has a direct benefit for our fragile environment. Instead, he chose to:
@DefraGovUK expecting gunmen to report wounded badgers. As likely as Praterson adjudging the cull to be inhumane #industrylapdog
- Push for the introduction of GM foods to the UK
- Start the massacre of England's badgers without scientific evidence
- Fight against the ban on bee killing pesticides
- Back fracking and fight against a clean energy policy
The Tweetstorm conducted under the hashtag #industrylapdog became the top UK trend. But how much I wonder did it achieve? According to @DefraKate, not much:
yesterday was incredibly busy, with all the excitement of the Boss's anniversary. He had a marvellous day - by the way! #industrylapdog
Others felt differently:
Any one seen Owen 2nite? Heard he's sulking in his bedroom. Really chaps a bit harsh? #industrylapdog #stopthecull
openDemocracy.net posted this yesterday http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/heidi-stephenson/war-on-wildlife-truth-about-badger-culling#.UicFpGiFdCY.twitter
"The decision to initiate the badger culling scheme is not only ill-informed, but deliberately shallow. It is time to consider a positive and viable solution rather than scapegoating a species".
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