Bill Oddie says ‘Ban driven grouse shooting’

Mark 17 Comments

Bill Oddie, comedian and birder says:

‘Driven Grouse!? You mean they have chauffeurs? If only. They are being driven to their deaths. Blasted by the guns of those who might well have chauffeurs!. The very definition of a Cruel Sport. It should be banned.‘

To join Bill Oddie, please sign Gavin Gamble’s e-petition which calls for a ban on driven grouse shooting.

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17 Replies to “Bill Oddie says ‘Ban driven grouse shooting’”

  1. Mark, i hope Mark McGowan the Artist Taxi Driver aka chunkymark has been asked to do a post. He has a lot of youtube followers and i think is saw him tweet his support a few days ago.
    A youtube rant would be even better.

  5. It needs 11,000 votes per day to clear the threshold. Dead in the water with a current rate of less than 1,000 per day. How did this one fall so flat after the spectacular success of the previous one?

    1. I wonder if it’s anything to do with the standard of the ‘debate’ after the last one, and the responses and attitude of certain MPs who showed their distain for the petition, and people who supported it? Maybe people have lost heart with this route to achieve the aims.

      1. Mairi – it might be. The best way to remove that memory is to get another debate rather then sulk… Losing heart is what those MPS and the criminal elements of the grouse shooting industry want – let’s not give them what they want.

        1. The lack of signatures may well be down to the disgraceful response of many MP’s last time round. Maybe those who did not sign this time think that with the same MP’s in parliament, they will respond the same way as before so any effort would be ultimately wasted again.

          BUT

          By signing we keep the pressure on, we are effectively saying to them “No, we don’t agree with your previous conclusions, we are not going away. Our numbers may have dwindled, but those of us who remain still shout just as loudly.”

          1. Nothing to do with any of these ideas just simply Gavin is not as well known as Mark and so gets less support from big hitters.
            He has actually done brilliantly with Mark’s great support.
            Not many ordinary people starting epetitions get anywhere near this number of signatures,his petition deserves great praise for all the actual keeping the project of DGS in everyones mind including even those who find fault with his petition.They need to stay on board as things never go just as each person would wish.
            Almost everyone wants something slightly different but we should all want the same main aim.
            Infighting only harms our cause.

          2. I suspect that alot of people who are informed about this issue and concerned about it will have signed both petitions but some of the people who signed it last time round were probably more ‘casual’ compared to the hard core and – if they are aware of the second petition at all – may have simply thought “oh I’ve already done that” this time round.

            I have the impression that the first petition was perhaps a bit more vigorously promoted with leaflet drops and six foot tall hen harriers etc. Also, of course, Mark’s petition had a ‘Hen Harrier day’ near its climax whereas Gavin’s was launched a month or so after HH Day and the opening of the grouse shooting season and so missed out on the wave of publicity provided by that.

            Having said all that I don’t think it is fair to say that Gavin’s petition has fallen flat. It has gained substantial support and a lot more than the rival petition in support of DGS so it does help to maintain pressure. As well as keeping Therese Coffey’s feet turned towards the fire all these signatures will hopefully also help to convince the Labour Party that this is an important issue – something that with a few honourable exceptions they have not shown much interest in.

      2. I certainly haven’t put as much effort into it as last time nothing to do with How Parliament debate went

        I thought timing was wrong for me. I got lot of personal signatures but this time Brexit is more on my mind. I am campaigning as best I can to change minds as I believe it will be disastrous. Quite frankly I don’t trust Tory Govt & brexiteers not to decrease our environmental rights. Just look at what Gove said over being able to reduce plastic -couldn’t do it without EU agreement which was immediately rebutted by EU. Always felt EU was ahead on environmental issues. So many people believe Brexit is done deal when it isn’t. People are changing mind over Brexit.

        He seems to talk the talk but doesn’t walk the walk.

        Certainly awareness of Hen Harrier plight is rising as heard it mentioned at an EU Rally I went to which surprised me from a Green MEP.

    1. Maurice – because it is a means by which the UK parliament enables its citizens to mount petitions which, if well enough supported, get a government response and a debate in parliament by MPs.

    2. But there is nothing to stop you writing to the Minister to express your concern about the persecution of bird species that are protected under European law on grouse shooting estates. Making clear to the Minister that this appalling, illegal behaviour is damaging the reputation of the UK abroad (in addition to all of the other harm it does) can only be helpful.

      The ministers name and job title are:
      Thérèse Coffey MP
      Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment

      Postal address is:
      DEFRA
      Nobel House
      17 Smith Square
      London
      SW1P 3JR

      There is also a contact form http://engage.defra.gov.uk/contact-defra/

      Her e-mail address is [email protected] but that is her address as a member of Parliament rather than her ministerial address (which is not published) so you may not get a response as you are not one of her constituents. Of course that does not mean that she wont see your message however,or that there is no point in sending it. Hope this helps.

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