How are we doing?

Mark 17 Comments

It’s less than two full weeks since Gavin Gamble launched his e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting.  It’s doing pretty well and I’ve slipped back into checking the progress of an e-petition every few hours (or even more frequently!).

123,077 signatures, our last total, seems a very, very long way away – but then it is, and it seemed a long way away last time until we got very close to it. In aiming for any difficult target it’s often helpful to break things down into smaller more manageable milestones.

Gavin’s e-petition has almost reached the first major milestone – 10,000 signatures. That milestone is very important because Defra will need to respond after we get to that total.  I will write about that at lunch time today.

But there’s another more distant but thoroughly achievable target which relates to the last e-petition on this subject – and that was the counter e-petition in favour of grouse shooting that reached a total of 25,322 signatures.  That is currently the benchmark for the level of support for grouse shooting and I’ll be disappointed if this new petition doesn’t go past that total – in fact I think it is important that it does. And who knows, the grouse shooters may be planning a counter e-petition of their own at this very moment (I think I might if I were them).

It’s good to see that individuals, some bird clubs and other organisations are now swinging into action and promoting Gavin’s e-petition.

There are already 192 Westminster parliamentary constituencies (out of 650 in total) that have produced at least as many signatures (in less than two weeks) in favour of banning driven grouse shooting than they did in favour of grouse shooting in 26 weeks.  Wow!  I was surprised by that number. They are listed below just for interest.  That list will grow quickly, particularly if you get your partner, relatives, friends and workmates to sign Gavin’s e-petition.  Thank you.

These are the 192 constituencies; the three numbers are ‘our’ score last time, the number of pro-shooting signatures and then the number, in just two weeks, on the current petition.

  1. Amber Valley Nigel Mills    207, 14, 15
  2. Ashfield Gloria De Piero    151, 9, 15
  3. Basildon and Billericay  John Baron   106, 8, 19
  4. Bath Wera Hobhouse    299, 15, 17
  5. Batley and Spen Tracy Brabin    136, 8, 12
  6. Bedford Mohammad Yasin   137, 7, 9
  7. Bexleyheath and Crayford  David Evennett    78, 2, 6
  8. Birmingham, Erdington Jack Dromey    89, 4, 4
  9. Birmingham, Hodge Hill Liam Byrne    37, 2, 3
  10. Birmingham, Perry Barr  Khalid Mahmood    47, 3, 3
  11. Birmingham, Selly Oak Steve McCabe    141, 2, 2
  12. Birmingham, Yardley Jess Phillips    79, 1, 6
  13. Blackley and Broughton  Graham Stringer    86, 4, 4
  14. Blackpool North and Cleveleys Paul Maynard    161, 5, 11
  15. Blackpool South Gordon Marsden    122, 4, 5
  16. Bolton North East David Crausby    137, 15, 18
  17. Bolton South East Yasmin Qureshi    82, 7, 8
  18. Bolton West Chris Green    165, 8, 10
  19. Bootle Peter Dowd    144, 6, 9
  20. Bournemouth East  Tobias Ellwood    226, 5, 10
  21. Bournemouth West Conor Burns    187, 7, 8
  22. Brent North Barry Gardiner    39, 1, 2
  23. Brighton, Kemptown  Lloyd Russell-Moyle  329, 10, 15
  24. Brighton, Pavilion Caroline Lucas    474, 7, 26
  25. Bristol East  Kerry McCarthy    299, 5, 6
  26. Bristol North West  Darren Jones    223, 9, 15
  27. Bristol South Karin Smyth    254, 4, 8
  28. Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire    514, 21, 30
  29. Bromley and Chislehurst  Robert Neill    116, 6, 7
  30. Broxbourne  Charles Walker    85, 8, 8
  31. Broxtowe Anna Soubry    207, 8, 12
  32. Bury South  Ivan Lewis    162, 8, 9
  33. Calder Valley Craig Whittaker    870, 31, 50
  34. Camberwell and Peckham Harriet Harman     200, 10, 17
  35. Cambridge Daniel Zeichner    368, 17, 28
  36. Carshalton and Wallington  Tom Brake    129, 2, 5
  37. Chatham and Aylesford Tracey Crouch   127, 9, 12
  38. Chelmsford   Vicky Ford   201, 11, 17
  39. Chingford and Woodford Green Iain Duncan Smith   120, 4, 11
  40. Christchurch  Christopher Chope   217, 14, 17
  41. Colchester Will Quince    221, 12, 17
  42. Crawley Henry Smith   147, 6, 8
  43. Crewe and Nantwich Laura Smith  205, 18, 19
  44. Croydon Central Sara Jones   116, 1, 7
  45. Croydon North  Steve Reed   102, 4, 4
  46. Croydon South Chris Philp   142, 5, 7
  47. Dagenham and Rainham Jon Cruddas   90, 2, 6
  48. Dartford Gareth Johnson   120, 8, 10
  49. Denton and Reddish  Andrew Gwynne   122, 3, 4
  50. Derby North  Chris Williamson   180, 6, 6
  51. Derby South  Margaret Beckett   125, 5, 7
  52. Doncaster Central   Rosie Winterton   133, 5, 6
  53. Dover  Charlie Elphicke   202, 5, 13
  54. Ealing North  Stephen Pound   86, 6, 8
  55. Ealing, Southall Virendra Sharma  75, 1, 1
  56. East Ham Stephen Timms   49, 2, 7
  57. East Worthing and Shoreham Tim Loughton   267, 8, 19
  58. Edmonton  Kate Osamor   35, 1, 2
  59. Eltham  Clive Efford   141, 3, 5
  60. Enfield North Joan Ryan   94, 1, 9
  61. Enfield, Southgate Bambos Charalambous   98, 5, 5
  62. Epping Forest  Eleanor Laing   133, 5, 9
  63. Erith and Thamesmead  Teresa Pearce   88, 3, 6
  64. Feltham and Heston  Seema Malhotra   85, 3, 5
  65. Filton and Bradley Stoke  Jack Lopresti   164, 10, 12
  66. Garston and Halewood Maria Eagle   174, 5, 11
  67. Gateshead  Ian Mearns   127, 4, 4
  68. Gedling  Vernon Coaker   218, 10, 14
  69. Greenwich and Woolwich Matthew Pennycook   174, 5, 8
  70. Hackney North and Stoke Newington  Diane Abbott   247, 7, 11
  71. Harlow Robert Halfon   129, 4, 9
  72. Harrow East Bob Blackman   42, 1, 6
  73. Hendon  Matthew Offord   68, 2, 4
  74. Heywood and Middleton  Liz McInnes   127, 8, 10
  75. Hitchin and Harpenden Ben Afolomi   189, 3, 13
  76. Hornchurch and Upminster  Julia Dockerill   151, 6, 11
  77. Hove Peter Kyle   334, 9, 19
  78. Huddersfield  Barry Sheerman   146, 8, 12
  79. Ilford North Wes Streeting   105, 3, 6
  80. Ilford South Mike Gapes   60, 0, 3
  81. Ipswich  Sandy Martin   192, 9, 19
  82. Jarrow Stephen Hepburn   116, 12, 10
  83. Kingston and Surbiton Ed Davey   186, 11, 10
  84. Kingston upon Hull East  Karl Turner   104, 6, 7
  85. Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle Emma Hardy   101, 7, 5
  86. Leeds North East Fabian Hamilton   251, 11, 16
  87. Leicester South  Jonathan Ashworth   145, 2, 12
  88. Leicester West  Liz Kendall   101, 5, 8
  89. Leigh  Jo Platt   167, 9, 14
  90. Lewisham East Heidi Alexander   150, 3, 7
  91. Lewisham West and Penge Ellie Reeves   227, 3, 11
  92. Lewisham, Deptford Vicky Foxcroft   230, 7, 10
  93. Leyton and Wanstead John Cryer   143, 4, 6
  94. Lincoln Karen Lee   219, 14, 16
  95. Liverpool, Riverside  Louise Ellman   247, 5, 11
  96. Liverpool, Walton  Steve Rotheram    93, 4, 6
  97. Liverpool, Wavertree Luciana Berger    151, 3, 7
  98. Liverpool, West Derby Stephen Twigg    106, 1, 3
  99. Luton North  Kelvin Hopkins    81, 2, 8
  100. Manchester, Gorton  Afzal Khan   165, 2, 7
  101. Manchester, Withington  Jeff Smith   267, 6, 13
  102. Milton Keynes South  Iain Stewart   170, 13, 15
  103. Mitcham and Morden  Siobhain McDonagh   93, 2, 6
  104. North Tyneside  Mary Glindon   188, 13, 20
  105. Northampton North  Michael Ellis   130, 7, 8
  106. Norwich North  Chloe Smith   208, 2, 13
  107. Norwich South  Clive Lewis   362, 6, 22
  108. Nottingham East  Chris Leslie   194, 2, 16
  109. Nottingham North  Alex Norris   99, 2, 8
  110. Nottingham South  Lilian Greenwood   141, 4, 9
  111. Old Bexley and Sidcup  James Brokenshire   106, 3, 7
  112. Oldham West and Royton  Jim McMahon   84, 1, 11
  113. Orpington  Joseph Johnson   145, 7, 12
  114. Oxford East  Anneliese Dodds   251, 8, 8
  115. Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport Luke Pollard  225, 6, 18
  116. Poole  Robert Syms   195, 13, 18
  117. Portsmouth North  Penny Mordaunt   145, 4, 5
  118. Portsmouth South  Stephen Morgan  190, 1, 13
  119. Preston  Mark Hendrick   130, 7, 9
  120. Reading East  Matt Rodda   191, 5, 11
  121. Reading West Alok Sharma   148, 8, 9
  122. Rochdale Tony Lloyd 127, 5, 6
  123. Romford  Andrew Rosindell   122, 3, 6
  124. Salford and Eccles Rebecca Long Bailey   178, 0, 10
  125. Sefton Central  Bill Esterson   161, 13, 13
  126. Sheffield Central Paul Blomfield   457, 13, 37
  127. Sheffield South East  Clive Betts   128, 9, 10
  128. Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough Gill Furniss   153, 5, 14
  129. Sheffield, Heeley Louise Haigh   276, 3, 21
  130. South Basildon and East Thurrock Stephen Metcalfe   13, 9, 11
  131. Southampton, Test  Alan Whitehead   193, 4, 6
  132. Southend West  David Amess   152, 9, 9
  133. Southport  Damien Moore   177, 13, 13
  134. St Helens North  Conor McGinn   126, 7, 13
  135. St Helens South and Whiston Marie Rimmer   139, 7, 12
  136. Stockport  Ann Coffey   176, 1, 11
  137. Stoke-on-Trent Central  Gareth Snell   102, 4, 6
  138. Stoke-on-Trent South Robert Flello   106, 8, 10
  139. Stourbridge Margot James   125, 8, 8
  140. Stretford and Urmston Kate Green   213, 1, 12
  141. Torbay  Kevin Foster   198, 6, 9
  142. Tottenham  David Lammy   134, 2, 9
  143. Twickenham  Vince Cable  261, 11, 20
  144. Tynemouth  Alan Campbell   226, 9, 16
  145. Uxbridge and South Ruislip Boris Johnson   96, 5, 6
  146. Wallasey Angela Eagle   181, 4, 9
  147. Walsall North Eddie Hughes   82, 5, 5
  148. Walsall South Valerie Vaz   82, 5, 9
  149. Warley  John Spellar   66, 2, 3
  150. Watford Richard Harrington   203, 5, 12
  151. Wellingborough  Peter Bone   169, 11, 22
  152. West Bromwich East Tom Watson   68, 4, 5
  153. West Bromwich West  Adrian Bailey   64, 2, 6
  154. West Ham Lyn Brown   98, 2, 2
  155. Wirral South Alison McGovern   142, 8, 12
  156. Wirral West Margaret Greenwood   159, 7, 11
  157. Wolverhampton North East  Emma Reynolds   76, 4, 6
  158. Wolverhampton South East  Pat McFadden   55, 4, 4
  159. Wolverhampton South West  Rob Marris   116, 2, 7
  160. Worsley and Eccles South Barbara Keeley   132, 3, 10
  161. Worthing West Peter Bottomley   229, 5, 16
  162. Wythenshawe and Sale East  Mike Kane   163, 6, 8
  163. York Central  Rachael Maskell   358, 18, 29

 

 

Northern Ireland:

  1. Belfast North Nigel Dodds 69, 4, 5

Scotland:

  1. Central Ayrshire Philippa Whitford 136, 15, 15
  2. Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Hugh Gaffney 95, 8, 8
  3. Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Stuart C. McDonald 170, 10, 11
  4. East Dunbartonshire Jo Swinson 162, 6, 10
  5. Edinburgh East Tommy Sheppard 349, 10, 24
  6. Edinburgh South Ian Murray 302, 33, 33
  7. Edinburgh South West Joanna Cherry 241, 10, 18
  8. Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss 224, 12, 15
  9. Glasgow East David Linen 92, 3, 8
  10. Glasgow North Patrick Grady 248, 12, 25
  11. Glasgow North East Paul Sweeney 104, 1, 4
  12. Glasgow North West Carol Monaghan 166, 2, 10
  13. Glasgow South Stewart Malcolm McDonald 203, 4, 14
  14. Glasgow South West Chris Stephens 97, 1, 5
  15. Inverclyde Ronnie Cowan 133, 8, 8
  16. Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael 215, 20, 29
  17. Rutherglen and Hamilton West Margaret Ferrier 124, 4, 5

 

Wales:

  1. Arfon Hywel Williams 215, 9, 12
  2. Bridgend Madeleine Moon 137, 4, 4
  3. Cardiff Central Jo Stevens 149, 7, 12
  4. Cardiff North Anna McMorrin 164, 7, 14
  5. Cardiff West Kevin Brennan 190, 3, 6
  6. Ceredigion Ben Lake 312, 29, 39
  7. Islwyn Chris Evans 85, 5, 8
  8. Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Gerald Jones 87, 1, 1
  9. Newport East Jessica Morden 93, 8, 10
  10. Newport West Paul Flynn 113, 9, 9
  11. Preseli Pembrokeshire Stephen Crabb 212, 21, 21
  12. Wrexham Ian C. Lucas 90, 4, 9
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17 Replies to “How are we doing?”

    1. Paul – I can’t have been clear – these are the 192 constituencies where, already, there are more signatures for a ban than there were in favour of grouse shooting after 26 weeks. there are 646 constituencies where there are some signatures. these are those rather high number where support for a ban is already higher than support for grouse shooting.

  2. Mark
    I have emailed the Cumbria Bird Club membership to ask them to support this – minimal backlash only. Good to hear that others are doing the same.
    Chris

  3. Norfolk South should be on the list, my husband and I have both signed when it first opened.

    1. LesleyJane – I can’t have been clear – these are the 192 constituencies where, Already, there are more signatures for a ban than there were in favour of grouse shooting after 26 weeks. there are 646 constituencies where there are some signatures. these are those rather high number where support for a ban is already higher than support for grouse shooting.

  4. It is quite amazing how some bird clubs/groups are reluctant to support this petition. I was in a discussion with one member of a Cumbria Birds facebook group the other day who was advocating all the pro-shooting arguments that the shooters come up with.It seems we have lots of birdwatchers that are not too concerned about this issue, which seems strange to me.This is not the official Cumbria Bird club that Chris refers to above, so maybe facebook bird groups are easier to invade!

    1. Peter – well, the shooters have got their act together. It would be good if the RSPB promoted their concerns about grouse shooting rather more actively though, wouldn’t it?

  5. It would.I know they feel more restricted for various reasons but hopefully they are beginning to see that a hard line is the only time that these people will listen.I think they have to choose who they want to keep on board, as they are in danger of alienating both sides! Recent events seem to signal a change in their stance for the better, although perhaps still too moderate for many of us.

    1. Nature’s Voice may feel restricted but is that any reason for any organisation not to keep their members abreast of issues affecting wildlife etc.? They could show a photograph of the spectacular ‘silver ghost’ now effectively lost from our uplands as a breeding species and then put the details of the petition if people were minded to consider signing. They could even signpost their members to Mark’s fantastic resumes? I’m aware of quite a few members quite agitated at not being alerted to the issue/petition etc. #StateofNature ?

  6. To be clear, I am not suggesting Nature’s Voice should actually support it, simply make sure that all their million voices are aware of the dire situation in the uplands and the causes (note plural).

    Mark has been very generous at times with his understanding why the organisation might not support it. At the very least they should be raising the profile of the apparent increased crime rate etc. on upland grouse moors?

    1. Hear hear.
      They had an excellent chance in the most recent ‘Natures Home’ but sadly didn’t take it.

  7. I agree with that Nimby, but it may be that some of the people at the top of that organisation are too reticent. I am not excusing them, but I know a lot of the people that work/volunteer for them are fully on board. They did publish an article in their magasine not too long ago giving different views. I certainly think they should repeat that as a minimum.I have many criticisms of the RSPB, but do not see them as the enemy. But they should be doing more in my opinion.

  8. Mark, there are only 190 constituencies. entries 81 & 82.

    Jarrow Stephen Hepburn 116, 12, 10
    Kingston and Surbiton Ed Davey 186, 11, 10

    1. Anthony – thank you. I hope you checked them all – I obviously didn’t!

      But there are probably a few more by now!

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