It is completely understandable, that on the other side of the Irish Sea, and in an area with almost no grouse shooting, participation in this Westminster government e-petition would be low.
However, my e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting has been signed and the breakdown of signatures must give more clued-up commentators something to say:
Belfast South SDLP 24
North Down Independent 23
East Antrim DUP 21
North Antrim DUP 19
Strangford DUP 19
East Londonderry DUP 15
South Antrim UUP 15
Belfast North DUP 15
Belfast East DUP 14
Lagan Valley DUP 13
Mid Ulster SF 13
South Down SDLP 12
Upper Bann DUP 11
Foyle SDLP 8
Belfast West SF 6
Fermanagh and South Tyrone UUP 5
Newry and Armagh SF 5
West Tyrone SF 4
I think that West Tyrone is the parliamentary constituency with the smallest number of signatures of all, anywhere; just the four. I would have hoped that in a republican area there might be more people who wanted to sign an e-petition which seeks to ban the favoured pastime of the British establishment.
Signatures to ban driven grouse shooting are welcome from all politics, religions and creeds – please sign here to ban driven grouse shooting.
[registration_form]
Maybe it’s people of English, Scottish or Welsh origin who now live there and who’ve signed? Or maybe people who were born in the north of Ireland and who are nature lovers? Or perhaps it is simply curious people who have read your book and are totally and absolutely incensed about the flagrant disregard that the driven grouse moor owners, their employees and patrons have for: UK laws; the British environment; well-conducted science; and for animal welfare?
The further south & west one goes in Northern Ireland the lower the population density (‘Derry City excluded). That may have something to do with it? That and the very long period of devolution (since 1921) compared with Scotland and Wales.
Perhaps I should say I’m a “blackmouth dissenter” from Co Antrim in the northeast (though living in England for many years) to allow appropriate stereotypes to be inferred ?!
David – thank you. I had to look up blackmouth dissenter and have now got an idea what it means.
West Tyrone does have a lower than average population size for NI constituencies – but not by much. West Tyrone (2014) has c92k people (not necessarily of voting age) which is closer to the bottom of the list (c90k, East Antrim) than the top (c122k Upper Bann) but you’ll notice that East Antrim has 21 signatures.
Thank you, Mark.
I would guess – and I can only do that – that SF voters may boycott UK Parliamentary petitions on principle on the same basis as SF (“ourselves alone”) elected MPs decline to take their seats. in my limited and increasingly remote experience, those of a more unionist disposition are not necessarily any fonder of “the landlord class” – on the basis of their own ancestors’ experiences (e.g. see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenant_Right_League). It’s a stange thing to see that still in operation in northern England when Mr Gladstone in Westminster did away with it in all Ireland so long ago.
David – thank you and I did wonder about that explanation but Northern Ireland/The Six Counties is a minefield for a Brit to comment on. Every time I visit though, I have the most wonderful time and meet such amazingly friendly people (and the breakfasts are good too).
I’m sure people who care about wildlife are above human sectarian divide. Does tribal rivalry have to come into every aspect of life in that part of Ireland? I’m sure the majority of the inhabitants of that portion of the island, whatever they should chose to call it, would rather it didn’t and just want to go about their daily lives like everybody else, in whatever human devised, political unit, they should happen to live in. Only 13 miles of water separates the island of Ireland from Scotland, so hardly distant land. I understand your wariness Mark, but at the moment people living there are entitled to vote in UK e-petitions, so if you care enough about something, why not do it? I think more is being read into any possible political disinclination to vote than is actually the case. More apathy I’d imagine as with most things.