Thank you to many of you who have let me know that you have submitted evidence to the House of Commons Petitions Committee inquiry into grouse shooting. You have today, tomorrow and Wednesday to do the same.
There will be few more powerful pieces of evidence than this one from Alan Stewart. Thank you Alan!
But your own evidence can be powerful in a different way – show you care, pen a few words please. Thank you.
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Being a bit of a techie dork, I tried this over the weekend and got nowhere.
Does anyone out there know if this can be done on a iPad?
Seems to want it in ‘word’ which I guess is just for a PC. Any help would be appreciated.
You can do it in Rich text Format. I don’t know anything about ipads but i thought RTF was universal. Just write in your favoured word processor and save it as RTF.
Wow, absolutely brilliant response by Alan Stewart. That submission has really made my day, it gives hope.
Our submission is pretty feeble compared to Alan’s but done anyway.
Carole – thank you. ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’
The views, sentiments and considerations of all those who submit are of value – providing that they are not (obviously) fabricated. Evidence is not restricted to data that can easily be measured with standard error, or be argued to be statistically significant. The layperson’s opinion carry’s weight too. And if in number, can provide a substantial additive to the single erudite, statistically significant empirical evidenced-based submission.
So, a hundred “Carole’s” conveys a message just as effectively as a single “Alan’s”. And indeed, one may argue, that MPs may pause for thought if this is indeed the case.
I would also add that those urging the Inquiry to keep the status quo for driven grouse shooting are fewer in number; even excluding the population that remains ‘neutral’ in so far as not signing either petition. So the more individuals that submit their thoughts and views, however ‘feeble’ add not only weight but also counteract any spin that the proponents will try and convey that c. 123,000 signed the petition but not that many underpinned this with a submission – and thus by inference are not that bothered.
So to summarise, the volume of the evidence is important; erudite submissions are obviously welcome too; but it is very difficult for Parliament to ignore the mass message, even if MPs consider this message to be counter-productive from their perspective.
If Brexit has taught us something early doors, this is one message to take home. There would have been negligible chance, even if put to a vote, that MPs would have voted for Brexit. But faced with 17 million ‘bits of evidence’, MPs are now having to go against their own gut feelings (viewed as a group) and deliver.
Richard
Thank you Richard. I was not going to put in a response as I feared that I couldn’t put such a powerful argument as Mark and Akan Stewart can, but you have persuaded me that my meagre efforts are well worth doing.
Adrian – welcome to this blog and thank you for your support.
“You can say the right thing and nobody will listen. You’ve got to say it in such a way that people will feel it in their gut. Because if they don’t feel it, nothing will happen.”
Bill Bernbach, adman.
Not being any kind of expert, I haven’t submitted anything, not expecting anyone to be interested in my views, but I see now that every bit can help, so will do a submission today!
Alexandra – good for you! Thank you.
I have just submitted my evidence – I believe we all owe it to you, Mark and to the Hen Harrier, to do our bit!
Kevin – well done! You owe me nothing, but I’m glad you did it. Thank you.