This evening, Labour Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner, is chatting live to Chris Packham on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ChrisGPackham/ and his Twitter feed (@chrisgpackham) at 7pm about the Wild Justice, Hen Harrier Action and RSPB e-action – see here. Good for her and this will be very helpful in raising the issue among Labour supporters.
In contrast, George Eustice, the Secretary of State at DEFRA, and the man responsible for Hen Harrier action is unavailable for a simlar chat with Chris. Well, I guess he’s busy.
Instead of facing questions such as ‘When are you going to ban burning on peatlands?’, ‘Why aren’t you stopping grouse moor managers from killing protected wildlife?’, ‘How many Hen Harriers would you like to see nesting in northern England?’ DEFRA provided this statement;
We are committed to protecting the hen harrier for future generations. That is why we are working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, including Natural England, moorland communities, conservation organisations, police and landowners, to implement the joint Hen Harrier Action Plan to improve the conservation status of this iconic species
That’s it.
If you’d like rather more from the Secretary of State on this subject and you live in England, then please participate in the Wild Justice, Hen Harrier Action, RSPB e-action – click here – which asks your MP to get some answers from DEFRA.
And if you live elsewhere in the UK your email will go to your elected representative in your own parliament/government. asking them to act too. In Scotland the SNP government is considering when to introduce licensing of grouse shooting and every e-action will help stiffen their resolve.
Over 91,000 e-actions have been delivered in 19 days but DEFRA is still wilfully blind to the problems of wildlife crime and unsustainable management associated with grouse shooting.
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Does Defra’s comment about being committed to ‘protecting the hen harrier for future generations’ essentially mean they have given up on trying to protect it for the current generation?
It means they are not prepared to do that which will really upset their pals in the grouse shooting cabal. So we have this so called plan that currently delivers very little and no big sticks such as licensing, vicarious liability or the withdrawal of general licences let alone a ban will be considered by this shameful shower in power, banning burning may even be kicked in to the long grass.
the message from this e action along with all past petitions and HH days is simple. If you want more Hen Harriers don’t vote Tory in England and vote Green in Scotland.
Well done Labour. Certainly Defra are not fit for purpose. The way Mr Eustice is sitting on his hands and doing nothing really defies belief. I understand there are a few, a very few, grouse moot owners who do behave decently and have stopped burning their Heather. I would imagine they are thoroughly “ cheesed off” by Defra’s lack of action as this is giving the “rogues” an unfair advantage. So under the Tories one even gets “crucified” for doing the right thing.
Unusual for you to make a typo Mark? In the paragraph about George Eustace, should that not read Hen Harrier inaction?
Just asking
I wish the same could be said about our local labour MP Luke Pollard who is the shadow Defra Secretary of State. He rarely posts about environmental issues – that seems to be low on his list of importance. So be warned if Labour is elected next time, nothing much will change!