This blog is a fan of Sir John Randall, Conservative MP for Uxbridge. John is a birder and understands the environment better than most. He’s also a really nice guy. Last week, whilst I was away trying, without much success, to see some Hen Harriers, John organised a Westminster Hall debate on the terrible state…
Category: THE POLITICS: Ministers, MPs, government policy
EU elections here I come – voting Green
It’s two weeks until the EU elections take place in the UK (and in the rest of the EU over the next few days). Will you vote Lib Dem, Labour, Conservative, UKIP or the Greens? The EU manifestos are a bit of a laugh – clearly none of the political parties is taking us, the…
What did politicians offer?
I have a column in the current British Wildlife magazine about the relevance of the EU elections on 22 May, the Scottish independence vote in September and the next UK general election (just over a year away) to our wildlife. In it I also set out 20 policies that might get my vote in the…
UKIP muddle
Many readers of this blog have contacted their MEPs about the Malta Massacre. Thank you all! I will keep coming back to this subject over the next three weeks leading up to the EU elections (and quite probably, beyond). Roger Helmer is one of ‘my’ MEPs in the East Midlands, and I’ve been sent…
In the words of the song…
…I can see clearly now the rain has gone! I can see all obstacles in my way… We wish Owen Paterson clear vision for the months ahead. 1. Climate change is real 2. Fixing bovine tb cannot be done by a cull of badgers alone 3. Culling badgers is quite likely to increase the…
Deselection
If I were looking for a couple of Tory MPs to deselect ahead of the next general election then Tim Yeo and Anne Mcintosh would not feature anywhere near the top of the list. Maybe I ought to come up with that list some time. It’s a bit of a coincidence, and a bit of…
Two jokers and a serious view of the Somerset Levels
An account on Twitter (@PaulThomas992) has kept me smiling with its wry look at the Somerset Levels in recent days. Yes, it’s all very serious and I don’t have a flooded house… SOMERSET BIRD NEWS. Early signs that waterlogged Blue Tits and Hedge Sparrows are evolving Dipper-style preen glands SOMERSET LEVELS, latest sightings: Dead Harbour…
The raptor haters? – Lord Tebbit.
The ‘raptor haters?’ is an occasional series of posts about those who slag off raptors. Lord Tebbit was a pilot and therefore could be expected to have empathy with those with mastery of the air. He also has sound environmental transport credentials having recommended that people get on their bikes. How sad then, to discover…
A letter from Rupert
I am grateful to my MP, Andy Sawford, for writing to Defra on my behalf to ask them about the continuing declines in farmland birds. And I am grateful to Lord de Mauley (or Rupert) the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Science at Defra for his reply. Rupert mentions that this…
Wildlife defence in England – a hollow force?
During his/her annual speech last night the Chief of the Environmental Defence Staff was horribly misquoted as saying; I can understand, completely, that in times of slightly lower national richness we must clobber the environment for all it is worth. I have, of course, no argument with our ‘greenest ever Prime Minister’ on that score. …