The SNP is in government in Scotland and claims to be the real opposition to the Conservative Party in Westminster. Why has the SNP dragged its feet over addressing raptor persecution in Scotland and why did it not take a more useful part in the debate over driven grouse shooting down south?
Only the SNP can answer these questions, and the need to be answered with deeds not just words. Luckily the cabinet secretary for environment and climate change, Roseanna Cunningham has opportunities at hand, but she will be pilloried in the media if she does not translate her fine words (‘The illegal killing of our raptors does remain a national disgrace. I run out of words to describe my contempt for the archaic attitudes still at play in some parts of Scotland‘) into strong action on licensing of shooting estates, stronger powers for the SSPCA and a clear statement that the review of satellite tagged raptors shows that shooting estates are a conservation problem for Scotland’s wildlife.
When speaking to the Scottish Gamekeepers Association Ms Cunningham also used strong words, which included ‘I have no patience at all with old fashioned attitudes towards these birds that linger on in this day and age. We all have to abide by the law, and must do so every day‘ which she sweetened with some praise for the SGA, ‘Not only are you valuable eyes and ears in the Scottish countryside, but you are stakeholders in the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime, with a vital role to play‘. Yesterday it was reported that the SGA is now boycotting Partnership Against Wildlife Crime meetings. That’s a very valuable and vital contribution from SGA – maybe we’ll see some progress now.
It’s time for Ms Cunningham to pull her finger out and start setting the agenda on wildlife crime in Scotland. There are signs that she is keen to do so, but time and patience are running out. Scotland’s reputation, and its tourism industry, is shamed by the wildlife crime carried out routinely in beautiful landscapes.
Also, why vote to send SNP MPs to Westminster who do nothing on wildlife crime there while SNP ministers do nothing back in Scotland?
The SNP does not look like a party which is intent on combatting wildlife crime as long as MSPs continue (ie last week) to write to their constituents and others saying that ‘Game management on grouse moors can make an important contribution to biodiversity by providing cover for wildlife, and through the creation and care of habitats such as woodland, grouse moors, beetle banks and hedgerows. Sporting estates often play a significant role in game conservation and across the UK shoot providers spend nearly £250 million a year on conservation.‘.
This sort of nonsense is normally only found on the websites of Conservative MPs (such as Nigel Adams, Chris Heaton-Harris, David Morris, Alistair Burt, Ben Howlett, Craig Tracey, Nigel Huddleston, Caroline Ansell etc etc) whose party and government lead the way in inactivity on wildlife crime south of the border.
So, cabinet secretary Cunningham – time for action! Or is your party run by tartan Tories?
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Mark did you see the SNH tweet today saying that nature based tourism in Scotland is worth 1.4 billion pounds (as I recall) and 39 000 full time equivalent jobs? It would interesting to compare those figures with others who also use the countryside.
Quite laughable that grouse moors contribute to the environment, these people live in the 19th century.
well, the leader of the Labour Party in Scotland is actively campaigning for the Tories in the Borders (where the hunty- shooty people are quite active) so you may get your wish. Thats the Labour LEADER actively campaigning for a party that wants to bring back fox hunting and is happy to impoverish children. I think if you’re going to accuse any party of being ‘Tartan Tories’ your aim is well off in this case.
That grinding sound you can hear is Keir Hardie spinning in his grave.
The SNP are not dragging their heels over this,you can,t provide evidence to back up your claims.Provide truthful evidence and maybe they could do something ,but you lied and lost any credibility you may have had. Don,t blame anybody except yourself.
Scottish environment ministers since Paul Wheelhouse (at least 5 years ago) have been saying that raptor persecution is a national disgrace, and yet have done next to nothing about it. If that is not dragging their feet then I don’t know what is.
Given that vicarious liability depends on the prior conviction of an individual and that happens about as often as Hen Harriers breeding sucsessfully on a driven grouse moor I don’t think it counts as taking meaningful action.
How much truthful evidence does anyone need? Is the lack of breeding raptors on grouse moors, the repeated disaperance of satalite tagged birds on grouse moors, the repeated discovery of poisoned baits and illegal traps on grouse moors etc. not evidence enough? This has all been known about for years and yet the Scottish government has done nothing but utter the right words but not back them up with action. They either don’t care or haven’t the courage to stand up to the big landowners. So much for them being a “progressive” party. I strongly believe that it is only the efforts of some superb Green MSP’s that have prevented the SNP from convenently forgetting about the whole issue.
To be accused of being ” the tartan Tories ” by a card carrying member of the Labour party is quite a stretch even for you. While we all want an end to raptor persecution it is not high on the agenda of government no matter what party is in power with the exception of the Greens which would seem to be a better home for your vote if you are serious in your convictions. Then again you could just do a Labour and abstain as seems to be the fashion in Westminster these days . I suppose we could always copy the model south of the border and try to emulate those raptor friendly havens for wildlife like the Forest of Bowland and North Yorkshire. You still seem to hurting that your petition was not taken seriously at Westminster which is hardly the fault of the SNP but dont let facts get in the way of a good moan. With a bit of luck Scotland will go its own way in the near future then the Parliament will split along more traditional party lines where Green Msps have a fighting chance of getting elected given our system and things will change for the better. As Scottish Labour are advising voters in the Borders and Highlands to vote Tory to defeat the SNP Labour are not doing much to help your cause so perhaps have a word with your own party.
It’s quite obvious from regular reading of the Raptor Persecution Scotland website that raptor persecution is rife in Scotland and despite plenty of promises the SNP have failed to have any impact on the issue.
I don’t think it is fair to characterize the SNP as Tartan Tories and I’m not sure it ever has been. They are to the left of Labour in Scotland on a lot of issues.
They are in a bind though. It is a hard one for them too. A lot of their core demographic does believe in Victorian Highlandism with Shooting and Salmon fishing as being core drivers of employment in the bare bleak moors. It is a point of view that was taught uncritically and purveyed in the media uncritically for decades. I’ve certainly got the impression that a large chunk of the party is keen to move on from that, teach history from before the clearances and develop tourism and actual industry in the highlands beyond the shortbread tin image, and that dinosaurs like Fergus Ewing have had their day and need to go. It is just the electorate, particularly their core voters in the heartlands, are not quite there yet.
There is a lot of money being thrown at education issues to try and move things on, but the problem is the Lairds, and the absentee landlords of the huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’ lobby are throwing greater amounts of cash in resistance. The last thing the SNP want is to have a Blairite implosion that destroys their heartlands like Labour did when they moved too fast from their base. That only benefits the Tories, because it destroys yet another opposition party to them, and we have precious few of those left. Swallowing the Tartan Tory slogan only benefits the shooters and backers of the real Tories.
Mark – I suspect you are not in favour of Scottish independence judging by this and previous comments regarding the performance of the Scottish Govt.
Many independence supporters with an interest in wildlife would be the first to admit that a great deal more needs to be done. However, your constant criticism of the Scottish Govt (very similar to that of the so-called Scottish Labour Party) is ill-founded when compared with the situation south of the border.
We have vicarious liability in place (hardly a resounding success to date I grant you – but it is there as an option). And, today it is announced that the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee considered various options for progressing the Scottish Raptor Study Group’s petition calling for the introduction of a licensing scheme for game bird hunting. In short, the Committee has agreed to keep this petition open and will be writing to the Environment Cabinet Secretary to recommend that the Scottish Government further explores, with stakeholders, the implementation of a licensing regime for driven grouse shooting.
How are things progressing south of the border? snafu?
Gordon – your first sentence shows that you haven’t read enough of my blogs. Criticising the lack of performance of a devolved administration, just as I do the Westminster government, is nothing to do with independence.
Good but slow start to progress today. More on this later – I’m in Scotland today.
Mark, this very attitude of the SNP being “Tartan Tories”, has partly led to the current state of the Labour Party in Scotland. When you consider that high ranking members are advocating tactical voting to keep out the SNP, even if that means having more Tory MPs, and Labour are forming coalitions with the Tories at council level, again just to keep out the SNP, then you really should be questioning the shameful tactics of your own party. As a result of Labour’s actions these past few years, they have lost the respect of many, and are now a laughing stock. If they keep this up, they’ll soon be fighting a close contest for third place with the LibDems.
Having said that, I hope Jeremy Corbyn can win over enough voters in England and Wales, and topple the Tories, however he’s went about it the wrong way. Trying to woo middle England with his anti-democratic anti-independence remarks won’t win an election. This is the same demographic that overwhelmingly rejected Ed Miliband because they thought he was too left-wing, so why Labour now believe that these people will swing to an actual left-winger, is somewhat confusing. His advisors must be idiots. But targeting the disenfranchised 15 million that didn’t vote in 2015 would certainly do it, and all he would need is about 10% of that sector, and he’s PM!
The only hope for the Labour Party in Scotland, is if they embrace independence, although I know that might not be what you want to see, because this unholy alliance they have with the Tories, is self-destructive.
Anyway, the SNP is far from perfect, but it is still leading the way in regards to combating persecution. The steps are small, but positive nonetheless, and I only wish the rest of the UK would follow suit. Here’s the latest measure that could be taken;
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/environment-committee-brings-licensing-for-driven-grouse-shooting-one-step-closer/