Over 58,000 e-actions have been taken since Hen Harrier Day, pressing elected politicians to act on wildlife crime and generally on the ecological problems associated with driven grouse shooting. Thank you – it’s an amazing response and I’m sure it has quite a way to go still.
The Labour Party is slow to send out responses to constituents but I am seeing more and more of them now. Pasted below is one of the best versions of the standard response because it has, in bold, the statement that Labour supports licensing of grouse shooting in England. many responses from Labour MPs currently lack that important addition but even without it the letter is so much better than the Conservative early version and their amended version.
If you have already contacted your elected politician – thank you! You are one of over 58,000 who have done so.
But if you want to give your elected politician a nudge to act for change then please send 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!
Here is the Labour standard response.
Thank you for contacting me recently about the need the protect the hen harrier.
I recognise that these iconic birds of prey are, and have been intensively persecuted to the extent that they are in danger of being lost as a breeding species in the UK, especially in England where there is less legislative protection than in Scotland.
I am extremely concerned to note that, despite it appearing that, whilst in England alone there is the potential to have over 300 pairs of breeding hen harriers, there were only 12 successful nests in 2019. With this population so under threat, the increase of unlawful killings during lockdown is a matter or urgent importance.
I completely understand why so many people are concerned about the impact that grouse shooting has on protected birds of prey such as the hen harrier. I appreciate that these concerns are heightened at the start of the grouse shooting season.
Whilst it is true that there are many factors behind the falling harrier population, it seems that illegal persecution/killing associated with grouse moors is, in the opinion of the RSPB (whose expertise in this matter I fully accept), the most significant. It would also appear to be the factor that we are most able to control, the others being habitat and climate issues and levels of prey.
I am aware that a 2019 government-commissioned study showed that 72% of satellite-tagged hen harriers were likely unlawfully killed on or next to grouse moors. With this statistic in mind, it is extremely disappointing to note that there were have been no successful prosecutions stemming from these deaths.
In addition to ensuring that opportunities to prosecute offenders are not missed, I believe we need tougher penalties for the illegal killing of hen harriers, including removing the right to manage a grouse moor.
I am keenly aware of the environmental concerns related to grouse estates. I note, for example, research that shows that the burning of heather to improve grouse moors reduces the land’s retention of water. It is clear both that the Government needs to address the impact of grouse moor management on soil, drainage, and hydration and that we need more research on this issue.
It is clear that taking no action over driven grouse shooting is not an option.
This is why, on Wednesday, Labour’s Luke Pollard, the Shadow Environment Secretary, called for grouse shooting to be licensed.
I want to assure you that I fully support this measure and a review into what further measures would help protect bird of prey including the hen harrier. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me on this important matter.
Best wishes
An excellent response from Labour’s official spokesperson for the environment. Labour seem to have come on in leaps and bounds since Sir Keir Stammer took over. They are putting to shame the glacial slowness and antediluvian attitudes of the Tories.
Except that he has changed from not supporting the hugely destructive, pointless HS2 to supporting it.
‘Labour seem to have come on in leaps and bounds since Sir Keir Stammer took over.’
###
Sarcasm?
Irony?
Well de omnibus, if one of your purposes as a political party is to win power in order to achieve fundamental change (or failing that, at the very least preventing the other lot from making things worse), Labour now have a leader who is significantly more popular than the leader of the Conservatives, which is surely, at least a step, if not a leap, in the right direction?
Johnson won’t lead the Tories at the next election and the way Starmer is handing out money to all and sundry in order to win favour with his backers it’s moot whether the Labour Party won’t be bankrupt by then anyway.
It’s worth noting that the Tories are still ahead in the opinion polls, which says a lot for Starmer’s impact.
Still no reply from my Labour MP. I know of one other person who wrote and they’ve not heard either.
This is the reply I got off Lisa Nandy labour MP for Wigan, still no reply since. what a JOKE, anyone who believes the Labour party will make any impact on DGS need to take a look at the performance of the SNP in Scotland, totally disinterested in the subject
Thank you for your e-mail.
I receive hundreds of e-mails, letters and telephone calls every day, as well as meeting local residents at my advice centres and on the doorstep. I try to respond to all queries and problems as quickly as possible and I hope to respond to your e-mail shortly. Parliamentary protocol states that Members of Parliament can only deal with issues on behalf of their own constituents so please ensure that you have included in your e-mail your name, full postal address, a contact telephone number and any relevant reference numbers.
Please let me know if you would like me to send you updates about my activities by replying yes to this e-mail. You can also unsubscribe at any time by e-mailing me with the word unsubscribe as the title of your e-mail. I have also updated my privacy policy in line with the new Data Protection Regulations which you can find here.
Yours sincerely
Lisa Nandy MP
This afternoon I finally had a reply from my MP, Rosie Duffield, on this matter. It broadly follows the standard Labour Party format with a few tweaks.
“Thank you for contacting me recently about the demise of the hen harrier.
I recognise that these iconic birds of prey are intensively persecuted and are in danger of extinction in England. Indeed, I am very concerned that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has outlined there was a fall of 18% in the UK population of hen harriers between 2004 and 2010, followed by a further fall of 13% between 2010 and 2016.
I understand that there are many factors behind the falling hen harrier population, including natural pressures such as poor weather and low availability of prey, but also pressures resulting from humans – such as habitat loss and illegal persecution.
The RSPB has highlighted that during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, cases of birds of prey including hen harriers being poisoned, shot or trapped and killed have risen sharply – noting a particular link with driven grouse shooting in its investigations.
Many people are concerned about the impact that grouse shooting has on protected birds of prey, such as the hen harrier. I share these concerns and I believe that we need a new approach to protecting and restoring numbers of these iconic species – with a review into how grouse moors operate and proper licensing in place. I also believe we must improve enforcement and prosecution rates for the illegal persecution of birds of prey.
Driven grouse shooting also has a huge impact on our natural habitat. Rotational burning of moorlands by gamekeepers contributes to climate change and I am concerned that land management used in driven grouse shooting can result in soil degradation, as well as problems with flooding and water quality in surrounding areas.
The Government indicated in October last year that it is developing a legislative response to the burning of fragile peat ecosystems, and will bring plans to Parliament in due course. The Government has no plans to ban driven grouse shooting. I will follow any developments in relation to this closely.
Thank you once again for contacting me and for sharing your views. I can assure you I will continue to support efforts to protect hen harriers, including by pressing the Government to implement a review into grouse moors operation and a proper licensing system as a matter of urgency.
john – thnaks. Yep that is pretty much the standard Labour response now. I think it is a shame that Labour MPs are not highlighting their support for licensing as a bigger thing – after all it was a policy announcement on 12 Agust this year. But overall, it’s good.
Agreed. Myself and, quite independently, another local birder have both invited her to come to Stodmarsh this winter to see the small roost of Hen Harrier that still persists there. I doubt that she’ll do so but if she does I’ll let you know.