Dear Dr Coffey,
Each week seems to bring news of another Hen Harrier disappearing on or near a driven grouse moor.
You must have been briefed on the findings of the study presented in Vancouver back in August on the analysis of NE’s Hen Harrier data.
You do know that the science suggests that there is habitat for over 300 Hen Harriers to nest in the English uplands.
You know, don’t you, of the science that demonstrates that Peregrines do very badly on land managed for grouse shooting when compared with the nearby land not so managed?
But as far as I can recall, you have never even criticised the illegal persecution of birds of prey by grouse-shooting interests.
You do know that you are the Defra Minister responsible for biodiversity conservation?
So why aren’t you acting? Why are you sitting idly while criminals persecute the wildlife that it is your job to protect? I think they think you are on their side. I’m just wondering whether they are right.
Not only should Therese Coffey feels extremely uneasy about her lack of action regarding wildlife crime on driven Grouse Moors but those involved in the North Yorkshire tourism trade should feel equally uneasy that their county is top of the wildlife crime statistics.Some of us may chose to stay away when possible !
The caption on the photograph says it all.
She really is a grouse shooter’s moll.
And what better occupation in that guise could she have than being the Defra Minister responsible for biodiversity conservation?
I am afraid pinning ones hopes on Coffey taking action against all those wildlife criminals who are killing all our wildlife on grouse moors, is like trying to hope one can stand on a single broken reed.
Her refusal to instigate effective action to stop this criminality when the law is so clear, is an absolute disgrace. Seldom can a Government Minister have so blatantly neglected his or her duty.
Is that a pile of bullshit in her hand ?
The Tory Government and their landowner mates are being left behind by public opinion and general awareness. It is now quite common to hear or read casual comments on the persecution of raptors on grouse moors. For example, Adam Boulton (of Sky news) writing on Brexit in the Sunday Times 2 weeks ago stated that David Cameron’s kite (re his potential comeback) “has been shot down more quickly than a bird of prey over a grouse moor”. It just shows how Mark’s campaign, along with all the other fighters for raptors are succeeding in the war of words and facts.
When it comes to coffee she should wake up and smell it! At the moment she is giving a good impression of Emperor Nero fiddling while around her the flames get higher. She is quite simply not fit for purpose but unfortunately for our beleaguered raptors that are constantly being killed on grouse moors as they find vacant places to live I don’t think things will change until we are rid of this awful incompetent government.
I thought it was the Tories who prided themselves on being the party of “law and order”. About time they put their money where their mouth is!
This silence has gone on for so long that the only conclusion to be drawn is tha Dr Coffey and her government colleagues simply don’t care about the welfare of raptors on grouse moors. Despite public and well publicised outrage at the continuing loss of these birds there is no statement or remark whatsoever. What other conclusion can be drawn?
Did the Blair government or Brown government give a shit about HHs no of course not the other options for being in charge are close to being just as bad.
We need a massive change in type of politician,judges etc to have any chance of
BOP getting protection.
Yes, the Blair Brown government was culpable for not taking the adequate action. However, at least under their government Natural England published A Future for the Hen Harrier in England, in 2008, which put the blame for the decline of Hen Harriers, firmly on shooting interests on grouse moors and their illegal persecution of them. This is the big question. Why does Therese Coffey feign ignorance of this, when Natural England presented the evidence for this 10 years ago?
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110314111327/http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2008/221208.aspx