These are the maps of signatures for ‘my’ e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting (closed September 2016, LEFT) and Gavin Gamble’s e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting (closed Monday this week, 2 April, RIGHT). Unfortunately the shading isn’t on the same scale (and there’s nothing much I can do about that) but if you study them carefully you’ll see that the pattern is very much the same. I now know the names and locations of a lot more UK Westminster constituencies than I did a few years ago.
In both cases (and in previous ones too) the areas of support were very similar in general and in detail. The areas of lesser support are always urban areas (particularly Birmingham), Northern Ireland as a whole (hardly surprising) and South Wales. If anyone was ever thinking of doing this again (and please don’t for a while, at least) then a plan to crack those areas would unlock an awful lot more signatures because I think we know how to mobilise the existing support even more if it were ever needed (and one reason that Gavin’s e-petition got fewer sinatures than mine (one reason) is that some buttons weren’t pressed – for example, I didn’t ask you for any cash to promote Gavin’s e-petition (and neither did he)). I don’t really doubt that given good planning, fairly modest resources, lots of willing volunteer helpers and good timing (perhaps to coincide with the Inglorious 12th at some stage) then 200,000 signatures could be achieved. Maybe we’ll do that some time…
And here are the patterns of support, across the UK, by constituencies held by different political parties, for both e-petitions.
The ranking of the support is very similar. It is surprising that the LibDems have ignored this issue completely considering the high level of support for banning driven grouse shooting in LibDem seats (and in former ones – but that’s a different story).
Of course the RSPB could gather 200,000 signatures in favour of a ban pretty much overnight – were it motivated to take this issue seriously.
Exactly! And I am sure that licensing (with the correct conditions) would have the same effect as a ban, but take longer. So, RSPB? Please step up to the plate…
What happens when you have banned everything in hunting shooting and fishing? Will you start on boxing football or golf keep you’re nose out of other people’s sports you sad person and find something better to do get a life of your own !!!!!!
Richard – thanks for your comment (or in your words, you’re comment). It sounds like it is you who will need to find a new hobby…but I’m not trying to ban everything, not fishing, not wildfowling, not Pheasant or partridge shooting, and not even all grouse shooting – just driven grouse shooting. Others may (and certainly do) have different views, but those are mine. Now go and have a little lie down and relax old chap.
Hey Dick. Why don’t you have a bash at boxing? I’d bet you could easily find a long queue of eager opponents! Or are you frightened of things that fight back?
Re voluntary effort to get more signatures in the future, it would be great to get some falconers and falconry centres on board before any new petition is started. I was at a bird of prey centre yesterday and was very pleased to see that they were doing their best to promote conservation, they had good displays on the dangers vultures are facing internationally, asked why magpies were demonised for eating bird eggs and chicks, but hedgehogs aren’t, there was even info from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. There was very little on the dangers birds of prey in this country have to contend with, but I didn’t feel that was a deliberate omission, the falconry team who gave us a display were very knowledgeable and did mention habitat destruction etc. Even if there are political (political with a small p) factors that have put a bit of a brake on the falconry sector taking more of a stand I think it’s getting more and more the case that they’ll find it awkward re not taking a stance, we must be at the tipping point surely? I certainly know that falconry displays are now pretty standard as part of larger wildlife attractions (such as Blair Drummond Safari Park and the Scottish Deer Centre) and out and about ones that visit local events can’t keep up with the demand for them. Imagine even a few falconers across the country incorporating the message about driven grouse shooting within their presentations and if possible providing opportunities for people to sign the petition afterwards! From what I’ve seen it could be devastatingly effective, I would imagine easily doubling or even tripling the number of signatures in many constituencies in a few hours, and that’s being conservative. I would absolutely, love and I mean love to help out in something like that I think it would be a very effective and enjoyable way to take the message to more people – and a nice break being face to face rather than on social media – the buzz you’d get from seeing someone signing the petition at one of these events would be fantastic, you could point out how the signature total jumps as soon as they do sign. I would also say that if there’s going to be a second debate at Westminster about DGS we absolutely make sure that there will be more MPs getting up there representing sanity not the old boy network. If the last ‘debate’ was the victory the shooters claim it was let’s make sure it was a Pyrrhic one, they crawled out from under their stones to support their pals and it was not a pretty sight at all.