- the Countryside Alliance don’t like it – although there is no indication of what they think is wrong with the document except that Chris Packham had a lot to do with it! Both Tim Bonner and Liam Stokes took to Twitter to be snide about Chris (and I guess the rest of the contributors, but it’s mostly Chris).
- The Guardian
- The Independent
- The Express
- ITV
- RSPB – ‘a remarkable and provocative read’, ‘if many of these recommendations were implemented then we would be able to restore what we have lost (or as Chris says destroyed)’, ‘Many of the ideas were either new or felt fresh perhaps because of the context in which they are presented’.
- Wildlife Trusts – ‘200 ideas for creating a Wilder Britain, including many supported by Wildlife Trusts’.
- WWF-UK – ‘Thought-provoking proposals in Chris Packham’s #PeoplesManifestoForWildlife. Great to see a call for an #EnvironmentAct to restore habitats and species, and for an independent watchdog post-Brexit.’
- Sue Hayman, Labour Shadow Defra – ‘Hoping to meet @ChrisGPackham soon to discuss the #PeoplesManifestoForWildlife and how we tackle habitat loss and species decline across the UK. Nature and the environment must be central to decision making.’
- Caroline Lucas, Green Party – ”Essential reading for Michael Gove.’ and ‘This is the kind of exciting (and beautiful) action plan our Govt should be championing.’.
- Michael Gove, Conservative (quoted in Guardian) – ‘Chris Packham and his colleagues have successfully motivated the public to get behind many of these issues. Through our schools we can develop the next generation of environmentally aware citizens and ensure wildlife and the natural world is protected.’
- the BBC… not news apparently.
So it is a bit strange that the BBC are ignoring it when other media outlets are covering the Manifesto in some detail, the major (and many less major) wildlife NGOs are making sure they say good things about it, politicians are taking notice of it and only (?) the Countryside Alliance hates it for some inchoate ‘reason’ which appears to be more personal than objective.
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No surprises there then except the coverage in the Express.
Having already complained to BBC News Scotland about their coverage of a disappeared tagged bird in quoting verbatim a PR spoof piece by the estate and not even mentioning the many reasons it might be “fake news” or giving any coverage to the RSPB release on the same day I’m not in the least surprised. I expect BBC news has different agendas over many parts of the country, as well as the central office.
Very interesting that none of those news stories try to ‘balance’ it with negatives.
That is rare unless it is an anti SNP story.
Maybe they just couldn’t find anyone to stick their neck into the noose?
Or could times be changing?
I may be wrong but I think it was mentioned on Farming Today earlier this week.
Chris Packham was interviewed on BBCR4 PM programme yesterday but his line suddenly dropped out just as he was getting into his stride. No attempt made to re-connect. A few fairly dismissive comments by the interviewer (I thought). Conspiracy theory! Probably not but perhaps Chris could tell us what happened.
The walk was mentioned as an upcoming item on BBC Radio 4 , yesterday afternoon, but my reception was bad and I missed it.
well, Chris was on farming today on Tuesday launching it, and then on The pm programme (although the interview gremlins kicked in and hey lost him halfway through).. so some coverage from the BBC, although little discussion.
Louise – good to hear.
That the Countryside Areliars doesn’t like the manifesto is hardly a surprise given what Bonner et al have said about Chris in the past. I suspect if the manifesto said all CA members should get large amounts of state aid for life they would still be opposed because it is Chris!
BBC no real surprise so let’s make sure we get #PeoplesManifestoForWildlife and #PeoplesWalkForWildlife get trending then the power of social media helps raise the profile of the initiatives and that in so doing triggers chain reactions that continue the momentum for real change.
Pleased that eventually the membership NGOs and others are realising that they need to engage with the initiative, otherwise they might be perceived as churlish or mis the boat.
As for others going for the man not the ball, then they simply continue to miss the point and add to their own downfall. Let’s stop raising their profile by mentioning them, perhaps it’ll assist their extinction when the public recognise their like for what they are ….
The most entertaining response to the manifesto that I have read was from Rob Yorke on Martin Harper’s blog. He fears that it may stir passions in the public that may threaten to derail ongoing dialogue between, among others, conservationists, farmers and gamekeepers. I sincerely hope he is right (and it’s not often I can say that).
The most refreshing thing about the Manifesto is its honesty and bravery, and the absence of the weasel words and support for bogus partnership working that has served to maintain a failing status quo and enabled the ‘war on wildlife’ to continue unabated for decades.
We all instinctively favour working with rather than fighting against those we disagree with, but this requires good faith on both sides and we have been plodding down that road for far too long. It’s high time conservationists confronted some of the root causes of wildlife declines head-on rather than endlessly trying to appease them. Packham and the Manifesto get full marks from me!
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Any comment yet from the NFU?
Edward – not that I have seen.