EPIC FAIL 4 – the scale of the fail

We (because I am sure that you, dear reader, signed the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting) have been luxuriating in the glow of the size of support for our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting for a few months but now that the ‘rival’ e-petition in support of grouse shooting has closed, on a risible 25,000 or so signatures, we can enjoy our total all the more.

We are told that driven grouse shooting is a much-loved hobby of the rich which plays an important part in the culture, tradition and economy of the uplands so we might have expected to see that love, that admiration, that need to show support, translated into a flood of signatures, particularly because the shooting press was exhorting shooters to do so. But it never happened.

No doubt we will be told that ‘we weren’t really trying’ but that’s fine – complacency and misjudgement are just what you want from the other side in a competition for politicians’ attention.  Actually the epic fail to mobilise support for grouse shooting will be partly through idleness and partly because the shooting lobby really is very small. Loud, vociferous, strident, largely talking to itself, but small.  The feeble total of signatures gained in support of grouse shooting might be largely due to indolence, or largely due to inability to mobilise the few real supporters – I really don’t care which it is.

 

But now is the time to reflect on the size of the disparity of visible support.

There are 650 Westminster constituencies. They are listed below with the number of signatures in favour of banning driven grouse shooting first and then the number of signatures in support of grouse shooting.  Before you start scanning the list – how many constituencies of those 650 showed more support for grouse shooting than for a ban?  How many do you guess?

The answer is just a dozen: none in Wales, none in Northern Ireland, three in grouse shooting areas of Scotland and nine in England (five in central London, three in grouse shooting areas and one in The Cotswolds).  That leaves 638 constituencies where more people want a ban on driven grouse shooting than support it.  638 to 12 – that looks pretty good to me.

And now is the time to get back to your MP and point out to him or her that 638 constituencies want driven grouse shooting banned according to these figures. It’s hardly a damned close run thing (like Brexit was) it’s a massacre!

I’ll be writing to my MP and I’ll pop my letter on this blog later today. Why don’t you do something similar? And we’ll be quite happy for the grouse shooters to write to 12 MPs too.

England:

  1. Aldershot  Gerald Howarth    138, 20
  2. Aldridge-Brownhills  Wendy Morton    96, 5
  3. Altrincham and Sale West  Graham Brady    150, 19
  4. Amber Valley Nigel Mills    207, 14
  5. Arundel and South Downs  Nick Herbert    324, 108
  6. Ashfield Gloria De Piero    151, 9
  7. Ashford  Damian Green    201, 86
  8. Ashton-under-Lyne Angela Rayner    103, 7
  9. Aylesbury  David Lidington    204, 42
  10. Banbury Victoria Prentis    227, 115
  11. Barking   Margaret Hodge    69, 2
  12. Barnsley Central Dan Jarvis    121, 11
  13. Barnsley East Michael Dugher    128, 17
  14. Barrow and Furness John Woodcock   185, 26
  15. Basildon and Billericay  John Baron   106, 8
  16. Basingstoke  Maria Miller    183, 28
  17. Bassetlaw John Mann    197, 49
  18. Bath Ben Howlett    299, 15
  19. Batley and Spen Tracy Brabin    136, 8
  20. Battersea Jane Ellison    112, 271
  21. Beaconsfield  Dominic Grieve     151, 35
  22. Beckenham Bob Stewart    134, 9
  23. Bedford Richard Fuller    137, 7
  24. Bermondsey and Old Southwark Neil Coyle    147, 28
  25. Berwick-upon-Tweed  Anne-Marie Trevelyan    269, 170
  26. Bethnal Green and Bow Rushanara Ali    131, 15
  27. Beverley and Holderness Graham Stuart    223, 50
  28. Bexhill and Battle  Huw Merriman    233, 82
  29. Bexleyheath and Crayford  David Evennett    78, 2
  30. Birkenhead Frank Field    116, 4
  31. Birmingham, Edgbaston Gisela Stuart    97, 9
  32. Birmingham, Erdington Jack Dromey    89, 4
  33. Birmingham, Hall Green  Roger Godsiff    153, 5
  34. Birmingham, Hodge Hill Liam Byrne    37, 2
  35. Birmingham, Ladywood  Shabana Mahmood    52, 3
  36. Birmingham, Northfield Richard Burden    129, 11
  37. Birmingham, Perry Barr  Khalid Mahmood    47, 3
  38. Birmingham, Selly Oak Steve McCabe    141, 2
  39. Birmingham, Yardley Jess Phillips    79, 1
  40. Bishop Auckland Helen Goodman    191, 204
  41. Blackburn Kate Hollern    133, 10
  42. Blackley and Broughton  Graham Stringer    86, 4
  43. Blackpool North and Cleveleys Paul Maynard    161, 5
  44. Blackpool South Gordon Marsden    122, 4
  45. Blaydon David Anderson    223, 20
  46. Blyth Valley Ronnie Campbell    146, 13
  47. Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Nick Gibb    202, 13
  48. Bolsover Dennis Skinner    194, 29
  49. Bolton North East David Crausby    137, 15
  50. Bolton South East Yasmin Qureshi    82, 7
  51. Bolton West Chris Green    165, 8
  52. Bootle Peter Dowd    144, 6
  53. Boston and Skegness Matt Warman    122, 39
  54. Bosworth David Tredinnick    182, 28
  55. Bournemouth East  Tobias Ellwood    226, 5
  56. Bournemouth West Conor Burns    187, 7
  57. Bracknell Phillip Lee    195, 17
  58. Bradford East Imran Hussain    94, 7
  59. Bradford South Judith Cummins    94, 6
  60. Bradford West Naz Shah    92, 6
  61. Braintree James Cleverly    206, 61
  62. Brent Central Dawn Butler    88, 5
  63. Brent North Barry Gardiner    39, 1
  64. Brentford and Isleworth  Ruth Cadbury    161, 21
  65. Brentwood and Ongar   Eric Pickles    136, 18
  66. Bridgwater and West Somerset  Ian Liddell-Grainger    324, 89
  67. Brigg and Goole  Andrew Percy    146, 50
  68. Brighton, Kemptown  Simon Kirby    329, 10
  69. Brighton, Pavilion Caroline Lucas    474, 7
  70. Bristol East  Kerry McCarthy    299, 5
  71. Bristol North West  Charlotte Leslie    223, 9
  72. Bristol South Karin Smyth    254, 4
  73. Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire    514, 21
  74. Broadland  Keith Simpson    273, 60
  75. Bromley and Chislehurst  Robert Neill    116, 6
  76. Bromsgrove  Sajid Javid    189, 31
  77. Broxbourne  Charles Walker    85, 8
  78. Broxtowe Anna Soubry    207, 8
  79. Buckingham8 John Bercow    220, 96
  80. Burnley Julie Cooper    161, 9
  81. Burton Andrew Griffiths    141, 34
  82. Bury North  David Nuttall    163, 12
  83. Bury South  Ivan Lewis    162, 8
  84. Bury St Edmunds Jo Churchill    279, 54
  85. Calder Valley Craig Whittaker    870, 31
  86. Camberwell and Peckham5 Harriet Harman     200, 10
  87. Camborne and Redruth George Eustice    249, 21
  88. Cambridge Daniel Zeichner    368, 17
  89. Cannock Chase Amanda Milling    108, 15
  90. Canterbury  Julian Brazier   286, 41
  91. Carlisle John Stevenson   153, 39
  92. Carshalton and Wallington  Tom Brake    129, 2
  93. Castle Point Rebecca Harris    125, 13
  94. Central Devon Mel Stride    360, 85
  95. Central Suffolk and North Ipswich  Dan Poulter    247, 78
  96. Charnwood Edward Argar   186, 19
  97. Chatham and Aylesford Tracey Crouch   127, 9
  98. Cheadle Mary Robinson   181, 12
  99. Chelmsford   Simon Burns    201, 11
  100. Chelsea and Fulham Greg Hands    91, 485
  101. Cheltenham Alex Chalk    212, 29
  102. Chesham and Amersham1 Cheryl Gillan    197, 53
  103. Chesterfield Toby Perkins    246, 17
  104. Chichester  Andrew Tyrie    238, 83
  105. Chingford and Woodford Green4 Iain Duncan Smith   120, 4
  106. Chippenham Michelle Donelan   271, 29
  107. Chipping Barnet  Theresa Villiers   133, 10
  108. Chorley  Lindsay Hoyle   232, 51
  109. Christchurch  Christopher Chope   217, 14
  110. Cities of London and Westminster  Mark Field   140, 263
  111. City of Chester  Christian Matheson    215, 29
  112. City of Durham Roberta Blackman-Woods    165, 40
  113. Clacton  Douglas Carswell    124, 10
  114. Cleethorpes Martin Vickers    135, 25
  115. Colchester Will Quince    221, 12
  116. Colne Valley Jason McCartney    314, 47
  117. Congleton Fiona Bruce    252, 36
  118. Copeland Trudy Harrison    200, 45
  119. Corby Tom Pursglove    214, 88
  120. Coventry North East Colleen Fletcher   92, 6
  121. Coventry North West Geoffrey Robinson   143, 13
  122. Coventry South  Jim Cunningham   118, 7
  123. Crawley Henry Smith   147, 6
  124. Crewe and Nantwich Edward Tison   205, 18
  125. Croydon Central Gavin Barwell   116, 1
  126. Croydon North  Steve Reed   102, 4
  127. Croydon South Chris Philp   142, 5
  128. Dagenham and Rainham Jon Cruddas   90, 2
  129. Darlington Jenny Chapman   157, 18
  130. Dartford Gareth Johnson   120, 8
  131. Daventry Chris Heaton-Harris   196, 101
  132. Denton and Reddish  Andrew Gwynne   122, 3
  133. Derby North  Amanda Solloway   180, 6
  134. Derby South  Margaret Beckett   125, 5
  135. Derbyshire Dales  Patrick McLoughlin   493, 138
  136. Devizes  Claire Perry   238, 207
  137. Dewsbury Paula Sherriff   186, 40
  138. Don Valley  Caroline Flint   127, 29
  139. Doncaster Central   Rosie Winterton   133, 5
  140. Doncaster North  Edward Miliband   93, 21
  141. Dover  Charlie Elphicke   202, 5
  142. Dudley North  Ian Austin   70, 5
  143. Dudley South  Mike Wood   74, 8
  144. Dulwich and West Norwood  Helen Hayes   195, 15
  145. Ealing Central and Acton  Rupa Huq   134, 17
  146. Ealing North  Stephen Pound   86, 6
  147. Ealing, Southall Virendra Sharma  75, 1
  148. Easington  Grahame Morris   83, 17
  149. East Devon  Hugo  Swire   278, 25
  150. East Ham Stephen Timms   49, 2
  151. East Hampshire Damian Hinds   244, 105
  152. East Surrey Sam Gyimah   197, 49
  153. East Worthing and Shoreham Tim Loughton   267, 8
  154. East Yorkshire   Greg Knight   268, 88
  155. Eastbourne  Caroline Ansell   191, 14
  156. Eastleigh  Mims Davies   221, 17
  157. Eddisbury  Antoinette Sandbach   173, 96
  158. Edmonton  Kate Osamor   35, 1
  159. Ellesmere Port and Neston  Justin Madders   147, 17
  160. Elmet and Rothwell  Alec Shelbrooke   226, 67
  161. Eltham  Clive Efford   141, 3
  162. Enfield North Joan Ryan   94, 1
  163. Enfield, Southgate David Burrowes   98, 5
  164. Epping Forest  Eleanor Laing   133, 5
  165. Epsom and Ewell Chris Grayling   175, 13
  166. Erewash Maggie Throup   167, 9
  167. Erith and Thamesmead  Teresa Pearce   88, 3
  168. Esher and Walton  Dominic Raab   151, 29
  169. Exeter  Ben Bradshaw   338, 20
  170. Fareham  Suella Fernandes   176, 12
  171. Faversham and Mid Kent  Helen Whately   184, 40
  172. Feltham and Heston  Seema Malhotra   85, 3
  173. Filton and Bradley Stoke  Jack Lopresti   164, 10
  174. Finchley and Golders Green  Mike Freer   135, 4
  175. Folkestone and Hythe  Damian Collins   249, 62
  176. Forest of Dean  Mark Harper   282, 62
  177. Fylde  Mark Menzies   232, 34
  178. Gainsborough  Edward Leigh   191, 74
  179. Garston and Halewood Maria Eagle   174, 5
  180. Gateshead  Ian Mearns   127, 4
  181. Gedling  Vernon Coaker   218, 10
  182. Gillingham and Rainham  Rehman Chishti   147, 14
  183. Gloucester  Richard Graham   180, 16
  184. Gosport  Caroline Dinenage   144, 8
  185. Grantham and Stamford  Nick Boles   241, 120
  186. Gravesham  Adam Holloway   136, 9
  187. Great Grimsby  Melanie Onn   89, 14
  188. Great Yarmouth  Brandon Lewis   163, 13
  189. Greenwich and Woolwich Matthew Pennycook   174, 5
  190. Guildford  Anne Milton   217, 38
  191. Hackney North and Stoke Newington  Diane Abbott   247, 7
  192. Hackney South and Shoreditch  Meg Hillier   157, 13
  193. Halesowen and Rowley Regis  James Morris   90, 9
  194. Halifax  Holly Lynch   186, 20
  195. Haltemprice and Howden  David Davis   172, 45
  196. Halton  Derek Twigg   129, 12
  197. Hammersmith  Andy Slaughter   128, 168
  198. Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq   171, 24
  199. Harborough  Edward Garnier    206, 40
  200. Harlow Robert Halfon   129, 4
  201. Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones   278, 83
  202. Harrow East Bob Blackman   42, 1
  203. Harrow West Gareth Thomas   88, 6
  204. Hartlepool  Iain Wright   91, 8
  205. Harwich and North Essex  Bernard Jenkin   244, 51
  206. Hastings and Rye  Amber Rudd   290, 24
  207. Havant Alan Mak   154, 14
  208. Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell   55, 4
  209. Hazel Grove William Wragg   194, 14
  210. Hemel Hempstead  Mike Penning   166, 16
  211. Hemsworth  Jon Trickett   166, 22
  212. Hendon  Matthew Offord   68, 2
  213. Henley John Howell   240, 148
  214. Hereford and South Herefordshire Jesse Norman   208, 68
  215. Hertford and Stortford  Mark Prisk   208, 20
  216. Hertsmere Oliver Dowden   104, 18
  217. Hexham  Guy Opperman   269, 241
  218. Heywood and Middleton  Liz McInnes   127, 8
  219. High Peak Andrew Bingham   569, 72
  220. Hitchin and Harpenden Peter Lilley   189, 3
  221. Holborn and St Pancras Keir Starmer   262, 29
  222. Hornchurch and Upminster  Angela Watkinson   151, 6
  223. Hornsey and Wood Green Catherine West   268, 21
  224. Horsham Jeremy Quin   267, 64
  225. Houghton and Sunderland South Bridget Phillipson   94, 16
  226. Hove Peter Kyle   334, 9
  227. Huddersfield  Barry Sheerman   146, 8
  228. Huntingdon  Jonathan Djanogly   237, 29
  229. Hyndburn Graham Jones   161, 17
  230. Ilford North Wes Streeting   105, 3
  231. Ilford South Mike Gapes   60, 0
  232. Ipswich  Ben Gummer   192, 9
  233. Isle of Wight Andrew Turner   406, 45
  234. Islington North Jeremy Corbyn   241, 22
  235. Islington South and Finsbury Emily Thornberry   187, 23
  236. Jarrow Stephen Hepburn   116, 12
  237. Keighley  Kris Hopkins   277, 54
  238. Kenilworth and Southam Jeremy Wright    193, 70
  239. Kensington  Victoria Borwick   118, 263
  240. Kettering Philip Hollobone   151, 63
  241. Kingston and Surbiton James Berry   186, 11
  242. Kingston upon Hull East  Karl Turner   104, 6
  243. Kingston upon Hull North Diana Johnson   133, 10
  244. Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle Alan Johnson   101, 7
  245. Kingswood  Chris Skidmore   150, 9
  246. Knowsley George Howarth   122, 7
  247. Lancaster and Fleetwood Cat Smith   407, 89
  248. Leeds Central Hilary Benn   168, 6
  249. Leeds East8Richard Burgon   96, 6
  250. Leeds North East9Fabian Hamilton   251, 11
  251. Leeds North West Greg Mulholland   257, 35
  252. Leeds West1Rachel Reeves   185, 8
  253. Leicester East Keith Vaz   61, 2
  254. Leicester South  Jonathan Ashworth   145, 2
  255. Leicester West  Liz Kendall   101, 5
  256. Leigh  Andy Burnham   167, 9
  257. Lewes  Maria Caulfield   306, 70
  258. Lewisham East Heidi Alexander   150, 3
  259. Lewisham West and Penge Jim Dowd   227, 3
  260. Lewisham, Deptford Vicky Foxcroft   230, 7
  261. Leyton and Wanstead John Cryer   143, 4
  262. Lichfield Michael Fabricant   168, 48
  263. Lincoln Karl McCartney   219, 14
  264. Liverpool, Riverside  Louise Ellman   247, 5
  265. Liverpool, Walton  Steve Rotheram    93, 4
  266. Liverpool, Wavertree Luciana Berger    151, 3
  267. Liverpool, West Derby Stephen Twigg    106, 1
  268. Loughborough  Nicky Morgan    186, 16
  269. Louth and Horncastle Victoria Atkins    236, 69
  270. Ludlow  Philip Dunne  300, 104
  271. Luton North  Kelvin Hopkins    81, 2
  272. Luton South  Gavin Shuker    100, 7
  273. Macclesfield  David Rutley    268, 70
  274. Maidenhead  Theresa May    171, 20
  275. Maidstone and The Weald  Helen Grant    173, 39
  276. Makerfield  Yvonne Fovargue    144, 13
  277. Maldon John Whittingdale    193, 29
  278. Manchester Central  Lucy Powell    177, 7
  279. Manchester, Gorton  the late Gerald Kaufman    165, 2
  280. Manchester, Withington  Jeff Smith    267, 6
  281. Mansfield  Alan Meale   150, 18
  282. Meon Valley  George Hollingbery   217, 82
  283. Meriden  Caroline Spelman   140, 23
  284. Mid Bedfordshire  Nadine Dorries   199, 60
  285. Mid Derbyshire  Pauline Latham   225, 19
  286. Mid Dorset and North Poole Michael Tomlinson   208, 23
  287. Mid Norfolk  George Freeman   281, 68
  288. Mid Sussex  Nicholas Soames   220, 43
  289. Mid Worcestershire  Nigel Huddleston   180, 57
  290. Middlesbrough  Andy McDonald   66, 4
  291. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland  Tom Blenkinsop   187, 52
  292. Milton Keynes North  Mark Lancaster   219, 34
  293. Milton Keynes South  Iain Stewart   170, 13
  294. Mitcham and Morden  Siobhain McDonagh   93, 2
  295. Mole Valley  Paul Beresford   201, 68
  296. Morecambe and Lunesdale  David Morris   242, 43
  297. Morley and Outwood  Andrea Jenkyns   168, 28
  298. New Forest East   Julian Lewis   245, 56
  299. New Forest West   Desmond Swayne   227, 39
  300. Newark  Robert Jenrick   251, 69
  301. Newbury  Richard Benyon   196, 188
  302. Newcastle upon Tyne Central  Chi Onwurah   129, 20
  303. Newcastle upon Tyne East  Nicholas Brown    182,  13
  304. Newcastle upon Tyne North  Catherine McKinnell   135, 26
  305. Newcastle-under-Lyme Paul Farrelly   126, 20
  306. Newton Abbot  Anne Marie Morris   235, 25
  307. Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford  Yvette Cooper   147, 18
  308. North Cornwall  Scott Mann   244, 44
  309. North Devon  Peter Heaton-Jones   237, 56
  310. North Dorset  Simon Hoare   275, 143
  311. North Durham  Kevan Jones   139, 18
  312. North East Bedfordshire  Alistair Burt   282, 47
  313. North East Cambridgeshire  Stephen Barclay   192, 27
  314. North East Derbyshire  Natascha Engel   213, 35
  315. North East Hampshire  Ranil Jayawardena   196, 99
  316. North East Hertfordshire  Oliver Heald    232, 85
  317. North East Somerset  Jacob Rees-Mogg   253, 39
  318. North Herefordshire  Bill Wiggin   271, 126
  319. North Norfolk  Norman Lamb   380, 49
  320. North Shropshire  Owen Paterson   240, 86
  321. North Somerset   Liam Fox   294, 34
  322. North Swindon Justin Tomlinson   163, 24
  323. North Thanet  Roger Gale   194, 10
  324. North Tyneside  Mary Glindon   188, 13
  325. North Warwickshire Craig Tracey   112, 27
  326. North West Cambridgeshire  Shailesh Vara   219, 50
  327. North West Durham  Pat Glass   205, 157
  328. North West Hampshire  Kit Malthouse   250, 206
  329. North West Leicestershire  Andrew Bridgen   147, 51
  330. North West Norfolk  Henry Bellingham   244, 106
  331. North Wiltshire  James Gray   308, 146
  332. Northampton North  Michael Ellis   130, 7
  333. Northampton South  David Mackintosh   124, 10
  334. Norwich North  Chloe Smith   208, 2
  335. Norwich South  Clive Lewis   362, 6
  336. Nottingham East  Chris Leslie   194, 2
  337. Nottingham North  Graham Allen   99, 2
  338. Nottingham South  Lilian Greenwood   141, 4
  339. Nuneaton   Marcus Jones   116, 10
  340. Old Bexley and Sidcup  James Brokenshire   106, 3
  341. Oldham East and Saddleworth  Debbie Abrahams   150, 12
  342. Oldham West and Royton  Jim McMahon   84, 1
  343. Orpington  Joseph Johnson   145, 7
  344. Oxford East  Andrew Smith   251, 8
  345. Oxford West and Abingdon  Nicola Blackwood   296, 24
  346. Pendle  Andrew Stephenson   231, 23
  347. Penistone and Stocksbridge Angela Smith   266, 69
  348. Penrith and The Border Rory Stewart   333, 163
  349. Peterborough  Stewart Jackson   160, 9
  350. Plymouth, Moor View Johnny Mercer   115, 6
  351. Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport Oliver Colvile   225, 6
  352. Poole  Robert Syms   195, 13
  353. Poplar and Limehouse  Jim Fitzpatrick   101, 10
  354. Portsmouth North  Penny Mordaunt   145, 4
  355. Portsmouth South  Flick Drummond   190, 1
  356. Preston  Mark Hendrick   130, 7
  357. Pudsey  Stuart Andrew   218, 24
  358. Putney  Justine Greening   159, 70
  359. Rayleigh and Wickford  Mark Francois   156, 19
  360. Reading East  Rob Wilson   191, 5
  361. Reading West Alok Sharma   148, 8
  362. Redcar Anna Turley   118, 17
  363. Redditch Karen Lumley   113, 13
  364. Reigate Crispin Blunt   185, 24
  365. Ribble Valley  Nigel Evans   502, 96
  366. Richmond (Yorks) Rishi Sunak   323, 542
  367. Richmond Park  Sarah Olney   259, 71
  368. Rochdale Simon Danczuk   127, 5
  369. Rochester and Strood Kelly Tolhurst   180, 17
  370. Rochford and Southend East  James Duddridge   169, 13
  371. Romford  Andrew Rosindell   122, 3
  372. Romsey and Southampton North Caroline Nokes   218, 113
  373. Rossendale and Darwen Jake Berry   220, 20
  374. Rother Valley  Kevin Barron   145, 29
  375. Rotherham Sarah Chaion   109, 9
  376. Rugby  Mark Pawsey   137, 18
  377. Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner  Nick Hurd   118, 12
  378. Runnymede and Weybridge  Philip Hammond   140, 17
  379. Rushcliffe  Kenneth Clarke    249, 30
  380. Rutland and Melton   Alan Duncan   273, 185
  381. Saffron Walden  Alan Haselhurst   218, 102
  382. Salford and Eccles Rebecca Long Bailey   178, 0
  383. Salisbury John Glen   260, 110
  384. Scarborough and Whitby Robert Goodwill   343, 85
  385. Scunthorpe Nic Dakin   90, 16
  386. Sedgefield Phil Wilson   124, 39
  387. Sefton Central  Bill Esterson   161, 13
  388. Selby and Ainsty Nigel Adams   226, 141
  389. Sevenoaks  Michael Fallon   142, 35
  390. Sheffield Central Paul Blomfield   457, 13
  391. Sheffield South East  Clive Betts   128, 9
  392. Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough Gill Furniss   153, 5
  393. Sheffield, Hallam  Nick Clegg   431, 57
  394. Sheffield, Heeley Louise Haigh   276, 3
  395. Sherwood  Mark Spencer   180, 39
  396. Shipley  Philip Davies   253, 48
  397. Shrewsbury and Atcham  Daniel Kawczynski   241, 67
  398. Sittingbourne and Sheppey Gordon Henderson   137, 23
  399. Skipton and Ripon  Julian Smith   455, 384
  400. Sleaford and North Hykeham  Caroline Johnson   251, 102
  401. Slough  Fiona Mactaggart   83, 4
  402. Solihull Julian Knight   131, 7
  403. Somerton and Frome  David Warburton   345, 132
  404. South Basildon and East Thurrock Stephen Metcalfe   13, 9
  405. South Cambridgeshire Heidi Allen   339, 87
  406. South Derbyshire Heather Wheeler   186, 37
  407. South Dorset Richard Drax   248, 28
  408. South East Cambridgeshire Lucy Frazer   296, 83
  409. South East Cornwall  Sheryll Murray   243, 38
  410. South Holland and The Deepings  John Hayes   146, 39
  411. South Leicestershire Alberto Costa   149, 30
  412. South Norfolk  Richard Bacon   313, 61
  413. South Northamptonshire  Andrea Leadsom   220, 113
  414. South Ribble Seema Kennedy   192, 61
  415. South Shields  Emma Lewell-Buck   125, 11
  416. South Staffordshire  Gavin Williamson   166, 21
  417. South Suffolk  James Cartlidge   223, 94
  418. South Swindon  Robert Buckland   193, 28
  419. South Thanet  Craig Mackinlay   224, 19
  420. South West Bedfordshire Andrew Selous   176, 19
  421. South West Devon  Gary Streeter   198, 24
  422. South West Hertfordshire David Gauke   220, 38
  423. South West Norfolk  Elizabeth Truss   235, 49
  424. South West Surrey  Jeremy Hunt   297, 65
  425. South West Wiltshire  Andrew Murrison   263, 190
  426. Southampton, Itchen  Royston Smith   190, 11
  427. Southampton, Test  Alan Whitehead   193, 4
  428. Southend West  David Amess   152, 9
  429. Southport  John Pugh   177, 13
  430. Spelthorne  Kwasi Kwarteng   115, 9
  431. St Albans  Anne Main   205, 32
  432. St Austell and Newquay Steve Double   234, 24
  433. St Helens North  Conor McGinn   126, 7
  434. St Helens South and Whiston Marie Rimmer   139, 7
  435. St Ives  Derek Thomas   340, 36
  436. Stafford  Jeremy Lefroy   180, 26
  437. Staffordshire Moorlands  Karen Bradley   215, 41
  438. Stalybridge and Hyde  Jonathan Reynolds   212, 17
  439. Stevenage  Stephen McPartland   156, 10
  440. Stockport  Ann Coffey   176, 1
  441. Stockton North  Alex Cunningham   114, 17
  442. Stockton South  James Wharton   133, 18
  443. Stoke-on-Trent Central  Gareth Snell   102, 4
  444. Stoke-on-Trent North Ruth Smeeth   113, 5
  445. Stoke-on-Trent South Robert Flello   106, 8
  446. Stone  William Cash   163, 59
  447. Stourbridge Margot James   125, 8
  448. Stratford-on-Avon Nadhim Zahawi   178, 105
  449. Streatham  Chuka Umunna   188, 61
  450. Stretford and Urmston Kate Green   213, 1
  451. Stroud Neil Carmichael   403, 91
  452. Suffolk Coastal Thérèse Coffey   370, 84
  453. Sunderland Central Julie Elliott   162, 11
  454. Surrey Heath  Michael Gove   155, 32
  455. Sutton and Cheam  Paul Scully   111, 5
  456. Sutton Coldfield  Andrew Mitchell   124, 8
  457. Tamworth  Christopher Pincher   139, 20
  458. Tatton  George Osborne   215, 54
  459. Taunton Deane Rebecca Pow   292, 62
  460. Telford Lucy Allan   135, 12
  461. Tewkesbury  Laurence Robertson   190, 69
  462. The Cotswolds  Geoffrey Clifton-Brown   288, 347
  463. The Wrekin  Mark Pritchard   155, 43
  464. Thirsk and Malton  Kevin Hollinrake   384, 393
  465. Thornbury and Yate Luke Hall   172, 42
  466. Thurrock Jackie Doyle-Price   123, 6
  467. Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish   288, 76
  468. Tonbridge and Malling Tom Tugendhat   208, 50
  469. Tooting  Rosena Allin-Khan   137, 122
  470. Torbay  Kevin Foster   198, 6
  471. Torridge and West Devon  Geoffrey Cox    361, 55
  472. Totnes  Sarah Wollaston   352, 30
  473. Tottenham  David Lammy   134, 2
  474. Truro and Falmouth  Sarah Newton   300, 27
  475. Tunbridge Wells  Greg Clark   172, 50
  476. Twickenham  Tania Mathias   261, 11
  477. Tynemouth  Alan Campbell   226, 9
  478. Uxbridge and South Ruislip Boris Johnson   96, 5
  479. Vauxhall  Kate Hoey   165, 97
  480. Wakefield  Mary Creagh   155, 17
  481. Wallasey Angela Eagle   181, 4
  482. Walsall North David Winnick   82, 5
  483. Walsall South Valerie Vaz   82, 5
  484. Walthamstow Stella Creasy   195, 9
  485. Wansbeck Ian Lavery   138, 33
  486. Wantage Edward Vaizey   264, 189
  487. Warley  John Spellar   66, 2
  488. Warrington North Helen Jones   155, 10
  489. Warrington South David Mowat   166, 23
  490. Warwick and Leamington Chris White   225, 28
  491. Washington and Sunderland West  Sharon Hodgson   105, 8
  492. Watford Richard Harrington   203, 5
  493. Waveney Peter Aldous   252, 23
  494. Wealden Nusrat Ghani   274, 89
  495. Weaver Vale Graham Evans   169, 17
  496. Wellingborough  Peter Bone   169, 11
  497. Wells James Heappey   346, 41
  498. Welwyn Hatfield Grant Shapps   176, 17
  499. Wentworth and Dearne  John Healey   123, 33
  500. West Bromwich East Tom Watson   68, 4
  501. West Bromwich West  Adrian Bailey   64, 2
  502. West Dorset  Oliver Letwin   337, 123
  503. West Ham Lyn Brown   98, 2
  504. West Lancashire Rosie Cooper   181, 28
  505. West Suffolk  Matt Hancock   230, 102
  506. West Worcestershire Harriett Baldwin   259, 83
  507. Westminster North  Karen Buck   118, 69
  508. Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron   429, 98
  509. Weston-super-Mare  John Penrose   221, 22
  510. Wigan  Lisa Nandy   139, 14
  511. Wimbledon  Stephen Hammond   162, 32
  512. Winchester Steve Brine   268, 99
  513. Windsor Adam Afriyie   152, 47
  514. Wirral South Alison McGovern   142, 8
  515. Wirral West Margaret Greenwood   159, 7
  516. Witham  Priti Patel   168, 44
  517. Witney  Robert Courts   271, 194
  518. Woking  Jonathan Lord   196, 20
  519. Wokingham  John Redwood   165, 37
  520. Wolverhampton North East  Emma Reynolds   76, 4
  521. Wolverhampton South East  Pat McFadden   55, 4
  522. Wolverhampton South West  Rob Marris   116, 2
  523. Worcester Robin Walker   178, 19
  524. Workington Sue Hayman   187, 26
  525. Worsley and Eccles South Barbara Keeley   132, 3
  526. Worthing West Peter Bottomley   229, 5
  527. Wycombe Steve Baker   171, 50
  528. Wyre and Preston North Ben Wallace   226, 52
  529. Wyre Forest  Mark Garnier   222, 20
  530. Wythenshawe and Sale East  Mike Kane   163, 6
  531. Yeovil Marcus Fysh   248, 57
  532. York Central  Rachael Maskell   358, 18
  533. York Outer  Julian Sturdy   263, 52

 

 

Northern Ireland:

  1. Belfast East Gavin Robinson    96, 12
  2. Belfast North  Nigel Dodds    69, 4
  3. Belfast South  Alasdair McDonnell    127, 11
  4. Belfast West  Paul Maskey    34, 4
  5. East Antrim Sammy Wilson   81, 14
  6. East Londonderry  Gregory Cabell   62, 17
  7. Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliott   43, 24
  8. Foyle Mark Durkan   39, 4
  9. Lagan Valley  Jeffrey M. Donaldson   79, 21
  10. Mid Ulster Francie Molloy   31, 23
  11. Newry and Armagh Mickey Brady   25, 16
  12. North Antrim Ian Paisley   63, 24
  13. North Down Lady Hermon   92, 12
  14. South Antrim Danny Kinahan   89, 17
  15. South Down Ms Margaret Ritchie   76, 25
  16. Strangford Jim Shannon   72, 22
  17. Upper Bann David Sison   63, 17
  18. West Tyrone Pat Doherty   34, 9

Scotland:

  1. Aberdeen North Kirsty Blackman    174, 14
  2. Aberdeen South Callum McCaig    201, 45
  3. Airdrie and Shotts Neil Gray   68, 11
  4. Angus Mike Weir   220, 238
  5. Argyll and Bute Brendan O’Hara   410, 82
  6. Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Corri Wilson   154, 40
  7. Banff and Buchan  Eilidh Whiteford    185, 54
  8. Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Calum Kerr    286, 265
  9. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Paul Monaghan   216, 120
  10. Central Ayrshire  Philippa Whitford   136, 15
  11. Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Philip Boswell   95, 8
  12. Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Stuart C. McDonald   170, 10
  13. Dumfries and Galloway Richard Arkless   330, 104
  14. Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale  David Mundell   301, 178
  15. Dundee East Stewart Hosie   182, 26
  16. Dundee West  Chris Law   157, 22
  17. Dunfermline and West Fife Douglas Chapman   191, 26
  18. East Dunbartonshire John Nicolson   162, 6
  19. East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow  Lisa Cameron   169, 22
  20. East Lothian George Kerevan   297, 124
  21. East Renfrewshire Kirsten Oswald   117, 11
  22. Edinburgh East Tommy Sheppard    349, 10
  23. Edinburgh North and Leith Deidre Brock    420, 117
  24. Edinburgh South  Ian Murray    302, 33
  25. Edinburgh South West Joanna Cherry     241, 10
  26. Edinburgh West Michelle Thomson    191, 40
  27. Falkirk John Mc Nally    189, 31
  28. Glasgow Central  Alison Thewliss    224, 12
  29. Glasgow East Natalie McGarry    92, 3
  30. Glasgow North Patrick Grady    248, 12
  31. Glasgow North East Anne McLaughlin    104, 1
  32. Glasgow North West Carol Monaghan    166, 2
  33. Glasgow South Stewart Malcolm McDonald    203, 4
  34. Glasgow South West Chris Stephens    97, 1
  35. Glenrothes Peter Grant    125, 29
  36. Gordon  Alex Salmond    225, 86
  37. Inverclyde Ronnie Cowan    133, 8
  38. Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey  Drew Hendry    477, 307
  39. Kilmarnock and Loudoun Alan Brown    137, 31
  40. Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Roger Mullin    210, 24
  41. Lanark and Hamilton East Angela Crawley    139, 35
  42. Linlithgow and East Falkirk Martyn Day    238, 42
  43. Livingston Hannah Bardell    171, 18
  44. Midlothian Owen Thompson    190, 73
  45. Moray  Angus Robertson    291, 132
  46. Motherwell and Wishaw Marion Fellows    67, 12
  47. Na h-Eileanan an Iar Angus Brendan MacNeil    80, 24
  48. North Ayrshire and Arran Patricia Gibson    202, 18
  49. North East Fife Stephen Gethins    268, 96
  50. Ochil and South Perthshire  Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh    310, 177
  51. Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael    215, 20
  52. Paisley and Renfrewshire North Gavin Newlands    117, 14
  53. Paisley and Renfrewshire South Mhairi Black    149, 13
  54. Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart    291, 311
  55. Ross, Skye and Lochaber  Ian Blackford    510, 121
  56. Rutherglen and Hamilton West  Margaret Ferrier    124, 4
  57. Stirling  Steven Paterson    287, 101
  58. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine  Stuart Blair Donaldson    307, 319
  59. West Dunbartonshire  Martin Docherty-Hughes    121, 23

 

Wales:

  1. Aberavon  Stephen Kinnock    73, 4
  2. Aberconwy  Guto Bebb    200, 18
  3. Alyn and Deeside Mark Tami   131, 18
  4. Arfon Hywel Williams    215, 9
  5. Blaenau Gwent Nick Smith    97, 7
  6. Brecon and Radnorshire Chris Davies    244, 70
  7. Bridgend  Madeleine Moon    137, 4
  8. Caerphilly  Wayne David    124, 11
  9. Cardiff Central  Jo Stevens   149, 7
  10. Cardiff North Craig Williams   164, 7
  11. Cardiff South and Penarth Stephen Doughty   185, 11
  12. Cardiff West Kevin Brennan   190, 3
  13. Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Jonathan Edwards    204, 29
  14. Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Simon Hart    180, 30
  15. Ceredigion Mark Williams   312, 29
  16. Clwyd South Susan Elan Jones    157, 45
  17. Clwyd West David Jones    187, 35
  18. Cynon Valley Ann Clwyd   84, 9
  19. Delyn David Hanson   142, 30
  20. Dwyfor Meirionnydd  Liz Saville Roberts   191, 30
  21. Gower Byron Davies   128, 15
  22. Islwyn Chris Evans   85, 5
  23. Llanelli  Nia Griffith    130, 10
  24. Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Gerald Jones   87, 1
  25. Monmouth David T. C. Davies   248, 62
  26. Montgomeryshire Glyn Davies   255, 51
  27. Neath Christina Rees   123, 14
  28. Newport East Jessica Morden   93, 8
  29. Newport West Paul Flynn   113, 9
  30. Ogmore Chris Elmore   92, 8
  31. Pontypridd Owen Smith   116, 7
  32. Preseli Pembrokeshire Stephen Crabb   212, 21
  33. Rhondda Chris Bryant   74, 4
  34. Swansea East Carolyn Harris   71, 7
  35. Swansea West Geraint Davies   134, 8
  36. Torfaen Nick Thomas-Symonds   98, 6
  37. Vale of Clwyd James Davies   123, 22
  38. Vale of Glamorgan Alun Cairns   180, 35
  39. Wrexham Ian C. Lucas   90, 4
  40. Ynys Môn Albert Owen   183, 21

It takes quite a lot of time and effort to produce these 650 pairs of figures and colour them in by political party – there may be one or two mistakes and I’d be grateful if you could point out any I have missed so that I can correct them. Many thanks.

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32 Replies to “EPIC FAIL 4 – the scale of the fail”

    1. Paul – you could regard them as the dirty dozen. Very close in Thirsk and Malton though wasn’t it?

  1. Care to tell how you obtained the figures for Copeland?

    Trudy Harrison has only been elected the Conservative MP for the constituency, a matter of days! Yet it appears you’re crediting her with the figures of 200 – 45, which is incorrect!

    I would suggest the figures you quoted were obtained when the previous MP Jamie Reed, held the constituency for Labour, and you should acknowledge that fact.

    1. James – the figures come from the parliament website.

      I’m not crediting any MP with anything – though these are the current MPs for these constituencies and if anyone wanted to write to their MP these would be the people to whom to write. You’ll see that Stoke-on-Trent Central is up to date and that I have adjusted the Manchester Gorton line given the sad news today of the passing of Gerald Kaufmann.

      Batley and Spen? Richmond Park?

      1. “It takes quite a loty of time and effort to produce these 650 pairs of figures and colour them in by political party – there may be one or two mistakes and I’d be grateful if you could point out any I have missed so that I can correct them. Many thanks.”

        As requested, I’ve pointed out a mistake. The figures quoted do not reflect a true picture of public opinion since a by election, where the views of an incoming MP may differ greatly than their predecessor, and therefore influence public opinion differently either way, especially where a poll is concerned.

        Whichever way you look at it, the figures quoted bear no relation to any view Trudy Harrison MP may have on the subject, and are based solely on whatever the previous MP had to say on the matter in order to influence his followers.

          1. James – at the end of the day people are talking seriously about banning an environmentally damaging hobby which is underpinned by wildlife crime – and they weren’t two years ago.

            But I won’t let the matter drop so just get used to it. Driven grouse shooting’s days are numbered because we, not just I, have shone a light on its faults and there is no going back.

            You have a nice little nap, but it isn’t the end of the day, and we are still active.

          2. Certainly not letting the matter drop in our household – spreading the word and it’s being well received. The evidence against driven grouse shooting is building all the time, as is public awareness. Still, the more the driven grouse shooters are complacent and think they’ve won, the better for us all.

        1. James,

          I’m guessing your a regular consumer of lead shot game, by regular I mean twice daily, seven days a week?

  2. My MP, James Gray, has already told me that his definition of democracy does not include representing the majority of his constituents if their position does not coincide with his personal viewpoint. hence his support for the badger cull, opposition to the Hunting with Hounds Act and support for the shooting lobby.

    1. Your MP is quite right. We live in a representative democracy, where he is the representative, but not the delegate, of his constituents.

      If you don’t like his views, you can always try and vote him out.

      1. Quite right Lazywell.

        ‘Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.’ Edmund Burke

          1. Agreed.

            Moral courage is an essential quality for that judgement to be exercised. How many MP’s on both sides of the House voted to trigger Article 50, believing it to be a disastrous move for future generations, but necessary to preserve their political careers? Too many Liz Trusses and not enough Ken Clarke’s..

          2. Also helps if they turn up and speak…

            Despite all the time and effort you spent producing this schedule, not to mention colouring it in, you curiously omitted to acknowledge just how few of your putative parliamentary supporters contributed to the debate.

          3. Lazywell – I think we have already covered that, for example here https://markavery.info/2017/02/15/29534/

            I agree that it would have been even more fun had the opposition turned up in greater numbers!

            But I wonder whether you would agree that it was shocking that those Tory MPs who spoke did not acknowledge the scale of wildlife crime which underpins driven grouse shooting. Wouldn’t you have thought that a bunch of Old Etonians would have been rather more honest? Maybe not…

  3. James Whyte – I think you’re missing the whole point of this (and indeed the petitions system). It’s a mechanism to show MPs what their constituents think. If compared to their voting performance (on relevant issues) it serves as a useful indicator of how well MPs reflect their constituent views.

      1. How would an MP use a petition to influence constituents? Sign it?

        If it results in a debate that’s a different matter and they can then show their colours as many have done in this case.

        But the petition itself is just respondent numbers and constituencies, which Mark has factually listed.

  4. The only thing that was epic was the size of lies and misinformation that you made to the public and the Parliamentary Committee.

    1. The whitewash that was the Parliamentary Committee debate was pretty epic too. Simon Hart interrogating Liam Stokes over something they already take the same stance on was laughable.

      Any Norman, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be trashing Chris Packham’s FB page with your mates?

  5. Oh dear, my constituency (West Aberdeenshire) is part of the dirty dozen, but it was a close run thing (with a high “turnout”. It would be nice to see a few hen harriers around, along with the proper number of peregrines, goshawks and golden eagles.

  6. I’m quite surprised at there only being 4 respondents in favour of maintaining DGS in my constituency, especially as it contains the headquarters of one a large shooting organisation, I guess those 4 signatures came from staff members of that organisation.

    1. Anthony – yes, BASC clearly aren’t really bothered. Or given the nonsense she spoke in the debate, maybe they all live next door in the Eddisbury constituency of Antoinette Sandbach.

      1. You may be correct, but we will never certainly know.

        I’ve had another look through the debate transcript for the Rt. Hon. Member’s comments. Good of them to mention getting information from peer reviewed papers, however it all seems kind of pointless if citations are not given.

  7. Quite right Lazywell.

    ‘Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.’ Edmund Burke

  8. Interesting, isn’t it, how all those ‘true country people’ living in the heart of London are so in favour of driven grouse shooting and its attendant trashing of much of our moorland wildlife!

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