The average number of signatures from each of the 650 UK parliamentary constituencies was 189.
Calder Valley was top of the list and Edmonton (35 signatures) the lowest of the British mainland but with Newry and Armagh in Northern Ireland on 25 signatures.
That’s a massive spread of support, but what comes out of it is that Conservative and SNP rural constituencies, often those where driven grouse shooting is practised, have given this e-petition the greatest support. In urban areas, it tends to be areas of strong LibDem and/or Green showing that are the most supportive.
Here’s the (almost) final list (there are probably some people who signed the petition but have not yet clicked on the confirmation email):
- Calder Valley 870
- High Peak 569
- Bristol West 514
- Ross, Skye and Lochaber 510
- Ribble Valley 502
- Derbyshire Dales 493
- Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 477
- Brighton, Pavilion 474
- Sheffield Central 457
- Skipton and Ripon 455
- Sheffield Hallam 431
- Westmorland and Lonsdale 429
- Edinburgh North and Leith 420
- Argyll and Bute 410
- Lancaster and Fleetwood 407
- Isle of Wight 406
- Stroud 403
- Thirsk and Malton 384
- North Norfolk 380
- Suffolk Coastal 370
- Cambridge 368
- Norwich South 362
- Torridge and West Devon 361
- Central Devon 360
- York Central 358
- Totnes 352
- Edinburgh East 348
- Wells 346
- Somerton and Frome 345
- Scarborough and Whitby 343
- St Ives 340
- South Cambs 339
- Exeter 338
- West Dorset 337
- Hove 334
- Penrith and The Border 333
- Dumfries and Galloway 330
- Brighton Kemptown 329
- Arundel and South Downs 324
- Bridgwater and West Somerset 324
- Richmond (Yorks) 323
- Colne Valley 314
- South Norfolk 313
- Ceredigion 312
- Ochil and South Perthshire 310
- North Wiltshire 308
- West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 307
- Lewes 306
- Truro and Falmouth 303
- Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 301
- Ludlow 300
A brilliant result, Mark. It’s a pity we can’t access the map any longer to check our own lowly constituencies!
Richard – you can here http://petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com/?petition=125003&area=uk
Thanks for the link, Mark. The six Oxfordshire constituencies accumulated 1549 signatures, an average of 258. Not too bad for a county far from any driven grouse moors (5 Con, 1 Lab).
Richard – very good in fact, and a lot of that is down to your help, thank you.
Lets get this word out there, every time any of us see the allegation of it being townies telling the rurals what to do or not understanding the countryside, any time it is framed as rural versus urban, make sure to speak up and remind the user that it is correct inasmuch as it is the rural seats wanting this and the townies dragging their feet and wanting to preserve grouse. Try and get the person you are debating with to say that the townies are the ones in the wrong first, before confronting them with the data. If the townies are in the wrong then press them that this means by their own logic they must support banning driven grouse shooting.
Remind them it is only *driven* grouse, the Nintendo Duck Hunt of field sports and that regular walk up shooting of pigeons, crows, pheasant and ranging grouse would not be affected (even if you really do want to ban these too, one step at a time as it’ll be easier to extend an existing ban than get a blanket one). Remember, the goal is not to convert the person whom you are arguing with as they will be in an entrenched position, but to create doubt in and try to convert the onlookers to the conversation, so take the high road and avoid insults or letting the argument escalate into petty detail. Keep it broad, simple, good natured, and stick to the top line. When it does escalate either into petty data, or into insults, then politely thank the other person for the discussion, restate the top line, and say that since they are not willing to debate in good faith that you are leaving the conversation. Don’t take a potshot and don’t flounce.
Town v Country? Yes, with Country folk being the ones wanting this, explore the data [link] here yourself [endlink].