It’s sometimes difficult to tell how well the message that grouse moor management is environmentally unsustainable, economically harmful and in any case underpinned by wildlife crime is spreading.
It also feels like there is a bit of a feeling of ‘ what’s the point?’ around the current e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting.
That’s a shame because I think that there are clear signs of progress out there. To get change then politicians must feel under pressure to act – and that’s the main point of a march, a campaign, a petition. That pressure is going to come from the core group of the energised on any issue (we eco-zealots, if you like) but also from the signs that a growing number of normal people are being attracted to a cause.
And those signs are definitely out there on the subject of grouse shooting. Here are some examples:
- grouse shooting mentioned in the Big Issue – that’s a pretty interesting place for the campaign to have reached.
- Jeremy Corbyn saying he isn’t very keen on grouse shooting – that’s a very interesting person for the campaign to have reached
- BirdLife International majoring on grouse shooting when talking about illegal bird killing in the UK in a European context – very embarrassing for the government who has avoided talking about or dealing with the issue
- Polly Toynbee reaching for grouse shooting to use as an example when on the Today programme – how many times in the previous decade has she used the two words grouse shooting do you imagine?
- Labour politicians seeking briefings on the issue – trust me, they are!
- new books on the subject which will reach new audiences – Skydancer and Bowland Beth
When you drop a pebble into a pond then you see the early ripples close to you, but they keep spreading and you lose sight of where they have reached. That’s where we are with banning driven grouse shooting. The ripples are still spreading and unsettling people outside of our sight.
To be honest Gavin Gamble’s new e-petition came as a complete surprise to all those involved with the campaign so far, but a gang of us are meeting in a while to assess how to take things forward for the three months after Christmas.
As for the e-petition – please keep promoting it – the Defra response which will be signed off by Therese Coffey will tell us all a lot about whether the government is prepared to shift its position. Things are moving and this is not the time to ease off.
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I guess you’ll be keen to make sure it gets more signatures than the last one otherwise it will look like the campaign is ebbing.
Giles – what would your guess be of its final total?
I have no idea – how many dd the last one get?
Not at all – but those on the other side and their social media orcs will try to make that out of course. Since the previous petition hit over 123,000 signatures and did result in a ‘debate’ in Westminster there will be those inevitably who think that’s it, but of course it’s not, this petition will soon breach the 10,000 mark and that means another government response, another opportunity to dig an even bigger hole for itself or change direction. If it hits the 100,000 one then that should ensure another debate, but this time I’m pretty certain some of driven grouse shooting’s friends might be a bit shyer and MPs opposing it more numerous.
Then who knows there might just be another petition for Westminster not too far away asking for an independent and comprehensive study into the true economic costs and value of driven grouse shooting. If it looks into (and it won’t be comprehensive if it doesn’t) such issues as the effect of muirburn on fish stocks/angling and how tree planting and presence of beavers (did you see that cracking feature about the Cornish beavers on Autumnwatch?) could significantly reduce flood damage to homes, businesses and farms downstream as well as provide firebreaks in the uplands then I doubt very, very much indeed DGS will come out of it well. If support for the campaign was ebbing then why are the number of Hen Harrier Day venues increasing, and why is DGS getting more and more attention in the media? The latter doesn’t have to be biased to make DGS look bad, just objective. Will DGS still be with us in 50,40,30,20 or even 10 years time?
9,839…. will this w/e make the 10,000? I really, really hope so!
Mairi – it’s creeping up all the time.
Now 9859. 51 likes on this post already. If all 51 got just three more to sign then we are past the first post. I hope to have at least 8 more signatures by tonight.
The ‘other side’ will love it if it fails. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
It really was a bad idea to launch a new petition so soon. If Mark wasn’t personally endorsing the petition starter, I’d be wondering if they were actually from the pro-shooting lobby deliberately running a false flag campaign just for the aim of demonstrating a failure.
I’m sorry you feel that way, but can appreciate the concern. From my viewpoint the DGS community thought the last debate was an end point and a victory. This petition is about keeping the conversation going, keeping it in the mind of Jo public, and keeping the pressure on. Sure, 10,000 votes in less than 4 weeks isn’t up to the standard of the last one, but it runs till April, and so will the conversation.
Gavin – flushing out a revised view from Defra, particularly if they shift their position sensibly, will be an achievement. 94 signatures away from causing that to happen – well done.
Shame the list of New books did not include the Hen Harrier – the revised edition by Donald Watson and others! Where is all of Roger Clarke’s work on this? I am told he was even working in his hospital bed on a re- write of this book and the numerous folk who have actually worked on this species in the field adding the new information like feeding techniques, tree nesting and cropping in winter. It could have had all the satellite tag information from Steven Murphy.
I shared the link to the petition to our Transition Facebook page. It will be interesting to see if it gets any comments given we are not in a grouse shooting area but very much in a pheasant slaughtering one.
I’ve been promoting it when I feel able, just nowhere near the same level as before due to my own health concerns. I wish I could do more, but the reality for me is that even tweet flurries are a step beyond me now. I’m sorry.
When I shared the petition with friends some responded that they had already signed the petition (confusing it with Mark’s last petition). I had to then point out that it was a new petition before they signed. I wonder if this is having an impact on the number of signatures so far?
I think anything that keeps the issue alive in the public eye/news is helpful and the petition provides a new focus point. Even the increased activity in Sat Tagging Hen Harriers is going to provide a lot of information/news about what and where the Harriers get up to. Obviously, parliament has just sat down again in earnest after the elections and the summer/conference recess. I have just had confirmation that my local Scottish MP has written (after many reminders) to Therese Coffey MP asking what the Governments reaction is and plans are to address the disastrous results in last years HH survey especially in England. I am looking forward to seeing what she says and getting my MP to work on my behalf!
I hope no one even tries to compare Gavin’s petition with any other petition.
He just deserves praise for starting one and keeping DGS in the public eye and no way could he get the publicity better known people have managed.
Really well done Gavin.
Dennis – I agree
Thank you Dennis, that’s very kind!
Well done Gavin getting past the 10 000,stage 1 done,onward and upwards.
Great to see 10,000 passed.
In my opinion a very important milestone passed.It will be a very long slog to get persecution on Grouse moors stopped and as one big company says every little helps.