I thought hard about whether or not to launch a third e-petition on the subject of banning driven grouse shooting – and then I did.
The current e-petition closes at midnight in two weeks time – and started five and a half months ago. I have no idea how many times I have refreshed the petitions page to see what the total is in that time – but it is likely to be thousands.
Let’s just have a recap on how far we have come together:
- 20 March – first signature
- 21 March – first 6000 signatures
- 24 March – 10,000 signatures
- 15 April – 20,000 signatures
- 21 April – 30,000 signatures
- 4 June – 40,000 signatures
- 3 July – 50,000 signatures
- 16 July – 60,000 signatures
- 2 August – 70,000 signatures
- 9 August – 80,000 signatures
- 12 August – 90,000 signatures
- 13 August -100,000 signatures
- 16 August – 110,000 signatures
…and along the way we have persuaded M&S not to stock Red Grouse meat once more (whatever they say – we persuaded them), we’ve had a record number and attendance at Hen Harrier Days, we helped the RSPB see sense on the Defra Hen Harrier Inaction Plan and we are heading towards, we hope, a Westminster Hall debate on the future of driven grouse shooting.
Over 400 of you have written to over 280 MPs asking for their support for a better future for our uplands, their people and their wildlife.
‘Firm Briefing’ is taking place to make sure that MPs know more about grouse shooting and the issues that surround it. Several of you have met your MPs and spoken to them already – you may even have handed over a copy of Inglorious for them to read.
If you haven’t written to your MP then please do, but to be honest you might as well wait now until tomorrow when we should know the date of our expected debate. Here are some useful links:
- a letter to send to your MP asking them for their support
- suggested response to the standard Conservative reply to such letters
- the standard Labour reply to your letters
- suggested response to the standard SNP reply to your letters
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I have also written to my mp, Nia Griffith, and other members of Carmarthenshire Bird Club have written to the two other Carmarthenshire MPs.
I’m still awaiting a response from my MP (Julian Brazier) despite contacting him over two weeks back (21/08) ….
Andrew Tyrie, ditto.
ditto Brendan O’Hara Argyll. Anyone else heard from him?
Ditto Richard Harrington but 24/8
Strangely enough, about ten minutes after posting this, his reply dropped through the letterbox. Not read it yet (other than the first line) as I’m in no mood to be annoyed today!
This is a great testament to the power of One Man and His Blog – helped of course by many supporters.
Whatever the outcome of the campaign, it will be fascinating to see what lessons conservation bodies take from this approach. The power of a bold objective, an appetite for open debate and a commitment to a continuous dialogue with supporters, are obvious starters.
Mark,
My own MP was fairly supportive and did not follow his party line at all but he did ask for some detailed briefing notes to help him understand the issues better. I am happy to prepare something for him but before I do so I would be interested to know whether you intend to produce something for general use that I can send him.
John Jones – I do, but I won’t necessarily post it publicly on this blog until much closer to the debate, so you’ll have to email me for it or wait until I send it out to people who have been in touch. I doubt whether BASC or the Countryside Alliance or others will publish their briefings to MPs so I would be wary about putting mine out there too soon. I have your email address so I’ll be in touch. Many thanks.
Mark, I think everyone else would agree, that we are glad you started the third e-petition. It seems to be on a bit of a slow down at the moment, I hope there is a last minute surge, I know we are over the 100,000 mile stone and just on 120,000 today but it would still be nice finish with a BanG S3.
Wherever this process goes from now, it will help raise awareness at the very least. As mentioned above all praise to One Man and His Blog!
Ditto for Nigel Huddleston, I’m waiting for my reply, but to be fair I did only send it to him on 1 September.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to contact all the people who signed the petition in each constituency? 170 signed it in Mid Worcestershire.
Has anybody else sent a letter to Nigel Huddleston? Would be nice to know if they had a reply?
Mark I love those mugs any chance we can get hold of one?