There aren’t many LibDems in the House of Commons these days but this response from Tim Farron suggests that we’d be better off if there were a few more. Not only is it a clearly personal response but it also demonstrates real understanding of the issues and has committed to getting in touch with DEFRA for their response.
Thank you very much for your recent email with regard to the call for action to end illegal killing of hen harriers and other birds of prey, which disproportionately takes place on the UK’s driven grouse moors.
It is impossible not to take up this campaign, when we live so close to one of the principal homelands of the hen harrier around the Forest of Bowland. There is conclusive evidence that persecution of hen harriers can be attributed to those who are employed on shooting estates and so the time is long overdue for the landlords to be held to account for their responsibility to sustain the small surviving population. Furthermore there is increasing need for the Government to require owners of the grouse moors to pay heed to their importance in the fight against flash flooding in areas which have suffered devastating damage in recent years.
I am pleased to confirm that I have written to the Secretary of State to urge him to commit the Government to take the necessary action on grouse shooting estates in a way that will deliver enormous benefit to our birds, our landscapes and our people and positive steps towards tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis.
If you want to give your elected politician a nudge to act for change then please join over 41,000 others in sending them a message through this e-action which is a joint campaign by the RSPB, Hen Harrier Action and Wild Justice. Click here to have a look please thank you!
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A lot better than our MP’s (Andrew Jones, conservative, Harrogate) pathetic, outdated response, especially given his constituency is in the worst place in England for raptor persecution:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the protection of birds of prey.
My colleagues and I recognise the conservation and economic benefits that shooting sports bring to rural communities. A study in 2010 by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust showed that predator control resulted in significant increases in the breeding success of ground nesting birds such as curlew, golden plover and lapwing. I believe that individuals should be free to manage wildlife within the law and that the Government should only intervene when there is good reason to do so.
All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and there are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife, with most wildlife crimes carrying up to an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence. To address concerns about illegal killing of birds of prey, senior Government and enforcement officers have identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority. The National Wildlife Crime Unit monitors and gathers intelligence on wildlife crime, including raptor persecution, and aids police forces in their investigations when required.
Ministers have always been clear of the need to phase out rotational burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats. Real progress is being made in promoting sustainable alternatives and I am pleased to hear that legislation is being looked at which could help achieve this. Ministers have also been encouraging landowners to adopt sustainable options and continue to work with them constructively. The England Peat Strategy will be published later this year which will detail further how we can protect, restore and reduce damage to our peatlands.
While there are no current plans to carry out a review of the management of grouse moors, I recognise it is vital that wildlife and habitats are respected and protected, and that the law is observed. I am pleased that the Government will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.
Good but possibly generic response from John Finnie MSP
“Dear Tim
Thank you for writing to me on this important issue.
The Scottish Green Party are committed to protecting Scotland’s wildlife and restoring our natural environment. Like you, we are deeply concerned about the continued persecution of wildlife on driven grouse moors in particular, and the link between ‘management’ of these moors and the illegal killing of hen harriers and other birds of prey.
Throughout this Parliament the Scottish Greens have challenged Government to address this issue, and recently my colleague Alison Johnstone MSP successfully amended a Bill to make mountain hares a protected species. This will, we hope, end the mass killing of this iconic species on grouse moors. You can read more here – https://greens.scot/ProtectMountainHares .
Alison also raised the continued illegal persecution of birds of prey with the First Minister on the ‘glorious 12th’ this year, calling for urgent action following the news that yet another Golden Eagle has disappeared on a grouse moor. You can watch Alison’s question here https://twitter.com/AlisonJohnstone/status/1293601009659510788
The Scottish Greens will continue to keep the pressure on for action to protect hen harriers, birds of prey and all wildlife. Thanks for everything you do, and do not hesitate to contact me should you have any other concerns.
Kind regards
John Finnie MSP
He used to be my MP too Alan until February 2018 when I moved here to Wales. When ever I broached raptor persecution issues or other wildlife issues all I ever got was the fairly standard awful Tory response. Now I still have a damned Tory MP and two MS’s. Just had a second response from one of them having challenged the awful standard Tory response as suggested by Mark. He came back and said that the figures were correct as they had been checked. Not sure how to respond to that one. Better if we all had MPs like Farron ( apart from his religion!) then if we had the problem may already have been answered.
Ask him about raptor persecution in his own constituency in Cumbria? Including Hen Harrier “Blue” killed near Longsleddale 2 years ago.
https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/news/hen-harrier-blues-disappearance-heart-breaking
Ask him why his local Booths Supermarkets which he supports so much insist on selling “sustainable” Red Grouse from Furness Fish & Game shot on “sustainable” grouse moors in Cumbria?
Tim is best known for attention grabbing without ever actually doing anything. He loves a photo opportunity. Don’t be fooled by him.
He should do something about raptor persecution in his constituency before thinking about FOB AONB.