I’m delighted that it looks as if the e-petition to end the Badger cull will pass 100,000 signatures this weekend and probably today. Hooray! There are three weeks to go, but at current rate of signing it will be very soon. Well done to Simon King and the Wildlife Trusts (or at least some of…
Category: CAMPAIGNING: petitions, marches, writing to your MP, HHDay
Your favourite e-petitions – update
End the badger cull instead of expanding to new areas – Simon King – 70,315 signatures (closes 25 February) Introduce a moratorium on the hunting critically declining wading birds – Chris Packham – 23,784 signatures (closes 23 March) Develop a GCSE in natural history – Mary Colwell – 2,545 signatures after 2 days (closes…
Letter to my MP
Dear Mr Pursglove May I please wish you a happy new year? As you may remember, you and I differ on our views on Brexit – I am still in a slightly depressed mood because of the result of the referendum. However, I have spotted a silver lining and I thought I would write…
Please support Chris Packham’s e-petition
Chris Packham’s e-petition calling for a pause in killing of rapidly declining wader species is cantering along again. Before Christmas it passed 17,000 signatures and yesterday it passed both 18,000 and 19,000 signatures. If you haven’t yet signed then maybe your signature will help move it past 20,000 signatures today. Please sign here. And then…
You are all winners – 123,077 of us
The campaign to ban driven grouse shooting was voted Birdwatch readers’ Campaign of the Year. Yes, I’ve noticed that driven grouse shooting is not yet banned, but 2016 saw a very big step in that direction because the public understanding of the issue grew enormously. Many people who knew little, and cared little, about what…
The minister’s speech
On the last day of October our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting (123,077 signatures) was debated alongside another, so-called rival, e-petition to protect grouse shooting (which still languishes under 25,000 signatures despite being over half way through its allotted time). Having let a month pass I’ll now return to what was said on that…
That rival e-petition
The ‘rival’ e-petition, the one which aims to protect driven grouse shooting, is half way through its six month existence. It must reach at least 100,000 signatures for respectability and to give any credence to the idea that driven grouse shooting is a remotely popular activity. At the halfway stage it is floundering at under…
Debate rules
I have heard from both the Chair of the Petitions Committee, Helen Jones MP, and Steve Double MP who both confirm that the MP leading a Westminster Hall debate on an e-petition is under no obligation to say anything positive about the e-petition at all, nor even to be neutral. I am grateful to them…
Dear Mr Double
Dear Mr Double I am writing as the petitioner of the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting which was debated in Westminster Hall last week. As a member of the Petitions Committee you were given the job of leading the debate. I need to tell you that your behaviour was unacceptable. I write to put…
The ‘debate’ – some first thoughts
On Monday afternoon and evening a Westminster Hall debate was held where UK MPs discussed the idea that driven grouse shooting should be banned because 123,077 people had signed an e-petition. The e-petition system was set up by Parliament so that the people could bring matters about which they felt strongly to the attention of…