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…
Tag: grouse shooting
The RSPB and driven grouse shooting
It’s certainly not my place to be setting out the RSPB’s position on driven grouse shooting but there have been signs, some public and some less obvious, that the RSPB is losing patience with driven grouse shooting and with Defra. Let’s just recognise that the RSPB has come a long and slightly difficult way since…
RSPB getting tough?
There are two recent RSPB blogs which are well worth a read – aren’t they all, always? Martin Harper’s blog is pretty outspoken as these quotes will make clear (but please read it all): it was a deeply frustrating debate – especially to the 123,000 that called for a ban and of course those seeking…
Golden Eagles on a weak thermal
There ought to be a lot more Golden Eagles in the UK and the results of the most recent survey (2015) show that there are more than in 2003 so that’s good news. There are 508 pairs of Golden Eagles in Scotland which represents an increase of 15% which isn’t bad at all and is…
Did you see these?
What others say about the ban driven grouse shooting campaign: The RSPB is wrong not to back a ban on driven grouse shooting – Nick Milton, Guardian Time for change: a comment on the parliamentary debate on the future of grouse shooting, Martin Harper’s blog Dishonourable members, Raptor Persecution UK Don’t dismiss the Public NGO,…
You did this…
shone a light on the scale of illegal raptor persecution in the UK uplands brought the damaging impacts of grouse moor management to the attention of the media and the British public had a lot of fun persuaded M&S three years in a row to reverse its decision to sell grouse meat in stores got…
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…
Dear minister 2 – the impact on nature conservation
Dear Therese Coffey It is relatively easy for the public to forget that Defra is supposed to be on the side of wildlife when its most public actions are often to support economic activities at the expense of wildlife and to do this without bothering too much with the science. Take badgers, bees and buzzards…
Dear minister 1 – the status quo just won’t do
Dear Therese Coffey Today I assume that you will close the Westminster Hall debate on driven grouse shooting. I’m just guessing here, but I’d be surprised if you will be signalling that Defra is asking for parliamentary time for a ban on driven grouse shooting. OK, that time will come eventually. But what you really…
Gems from the written evidence 23 – an ex-gamekeeper
This is very interesting, and I suspect this man, an ex-gamekeeper was rather brave to speak out like this. Here are some excerpts from his written evidence: I am writing regarding the recent petition to ban Driven Grouse Shooting and its proposed debate in Parliament. My name is Paul Tooley and until recently I had…