Les Wallace’s epetition calling for an economic study of grouse shooting is close to 9,500 signatures. When, I think we can say ‘when’ not ‘if’ now, it gets to 10,000 signatures then it will trigger an inadequate response from Defra. I’ll look forward to reading that in due course.
The map of signatures shows the usual constituencies giving support to any issue involving grouse shooting.
Here are the top ten constituencies:
1. Calder Valley 91
2. Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 77
3. Ross, Skye and Lochaber 63
4. Sheffield Hallam 62
5. High Peak 60
6. Westmoreland and Lonsdale 53
7. Thirsk and Malton 52
8. North Norfolk 50
9. Suffolk Coastal 49
10. Skipton and Ripon 48
It’s a list dominated by moorland constituencies – some of them with many driven grouse moors in their boundaries. And quite similar to this list of people supporting a ban on driven grouse shooting.
There are only four UK constituencies which have not yet provided a signature, none in Scotland or Northern Ireland, and they are Cynon Valley in south Wales, Birmingham Ladywood, Harrow West and Ealing, Southall – all Labour seats.
Let’s not count our chickens (even though I think I hear clucking) – please find another person to sign Les Wallace’s epetition calling for an economic appraisal of intensive grouse shooting – click here please. Thank you!
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And someone has signed in Birmingham Ladywood – thanks!
As I type this we’re now at 9,625. It looks if thanks are due to a very large number of people who rallied round at the last minute and did one hell of a lot of tweeting, gentle cajoling and string pulling to get here – one of them was a good Dr whose name I shall not mention just yet to spare his blushes. Two weeks ago I was considering abandoning the petition, cutting loses and trying again later in the year. One very significant thing is that virtually all (or perhaps all) of the people doing the last minute push are doing it as a personal, voluntary contribution. The fact that we weren’t racing towards the 10,000 target at the very beginning nearly six months ago is due to people who are PAID to support the aims of the petition, NOT doing so. At the moment relief and gratitude are dominant, but the deep anger is not far away. We all deserved better than we got and questions will be, need to be asked. A lot of things became apparent to me over the past six months and at times it’s been a frustrating insight, but hopefully a useful one. Just checked, now at 9,646!
Les, at least you will know that you got there in spite of LACS and not because of them.
And of course, all the other NGOs that should have supported.
Still haven’t got a reply to my emails from LACS, bet you didn’t either. But then, it seems LACS couldn’t be bothered to inform Mark and Ruth about their DGS protest in London a couple of months back.
What a shame that we can’t all be on the same team when we all want the same result.
If I had known at the beginning that LACS wasn’t going to support the petition I wouldn’t have raised it. When it was clear they weren’t going to do so it was a massive kick in the stomach, I knew the chances of this reaching 10,000 being a very unsexy petition about grouse shooting economics were bloody slim. It’s only an extraordinary amount of work by people behind the scenes mostly that’s made the less than a hundred signatures away 10,000 target reachable. I’m afraid it’s impossible for me to think of the fantastic support from so many without my temper rising thinking of why that was necessary. I’ll have a few tales to tell that need telling the Avery’s, Packhams and Tingays are still having to do too much because some in paid jobs aren’t worth their weight in spit. Thanks for your support Paul!
Many more supporters of this blog may be inclined to sign Les Wallace’s E-Petition once they read the attached link explaining that our hard pressed PM Theresa May has increased taxpayers subsidies for her wealthy mates to go grouse shooting at the public’s expense. It’s difficult to understand how our overworked prime minister can find time and money to turn her attention away from BREXIT at such an important time to fund the shooting community, especially when there are so many really needy worthy causes so desperate for financial help.
https://tompride.wordpress.com/2018/11/03/theresa-may-increases-taxpayer-subsidies-for-her-wealthy-mates-to-go-grouse-shooting/?fbclid=IwAR0oKYqbGEfzPBBD0A-OTzqpKeuZTaHWUxbApY7NQaMpUceWJn9y9Ob7qQU
Terry – perhaps. Although the fact that that change came in to place in 2015 and was known about in 2014 puts it back into the Paterson/Cameron era rather than May/Gove.
Thanks Mark for your explanation. I think it’s a pity that a minister and a former PM have so much time on their hands to bother with support the shooting industry in this financial way rather than supporting our persecuted raptors, which incidentally they seem to be overlooking.
Terry thanks for all your support, you suggested I write a feature about the petition which you posted, then James Common posted it, then a final version was posted on Mark’s blog. That suggestion helped me a lot. We’re nearly there and I can’t see any option for them that won’t be awkward. Cheers!
Les it was my pleasure to help and support you. It just goes to show what can be achieved when people are motivated. If in the future I may be of any further assistance don’t hesitate to get back in touch.
This is taking me back to the exciting days a couple of years ago watching the numbers stack up on Mark’s petition 🙂
10,000 – 10.23 pm WE DID IT!!!!!
Les – well done!
Disgraceful