Standing up for Nature
Wild Justice has provided an update on how the joint e-action with RSPB and Hen Harrier Action is going, with a list of the top 20 English constituencies (there are some familiar names there) – click here to have a look.
In July 2017 I was in Orkney with an idea for a book but not much of an idea how I would start it or structure it, and I was none too clear about the conclusions I was expecting to draw from it. By the end of the week I had solved all three questions,…
This week of the year has become a busy one in my life in recent years. The run up to Hen Harrier Day, the day itself, the Inglorious 12th and the aftermath of that day create a fair amount of activity. So, how have things gone? Not much grouse shooting this year? There are lots…
There aren’t many LibDems in the House of Commons these days but this response from Tim Farron suggests that we’d be better off if there were a few more. Not only is it a clearly personal response but it also demonstrates real understanding of the issues and has committed to getting in touch with DEFRA…
Here is an exchange in the Scottish Paliament yesterday – quite useful. Thank you to John Mason MSP (GLasgow Shetleston, SNP) for asking and to Mairi Gougeon for an encouraging answer. John Mason: To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent the persecution of raptors. The Minister for Rural Affairs and…
Last year I wrote about Natural England asking you for your money, through crowdfunding, to carry out a mixture of tasks which ranged from the daft to what seemed to me to be Natural England’s statutory duties (and therefore what I was paying for through my taxes). Tony Juniper responded to the ENDS report with…
Dear Mr Pursglove I hope you are well, particularly at this time of COVID-19 and particularly as our local area of Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering all seem to be hotspots for the disease. I feel that your government has dealt very badly with this emergency but that is not why I am contacting you. I…
I’ve enjoyed today’s Inglorious 12th more than most. I’ve had a relatively relaxing day. When I watered the vegetables at 6am this morning before making a cup of tea, I had seen the expected news that Labour had come out in favour of licensing grouse shooting. This is very much to be welcomed. Looking back…
With today’s call for grouse moor licensing by the Labour Party the SNP needs to act to maintain its formerly leading position on grouse moor reform. In the race to be ‘top UK government’ on grouse shooting reform the SNP government is strolling down the straight, way out ahead of the Conservative Party in England…
On the Inglorious 12th, the opening day of the Red Grouse shooting season, Luke Pollard, shadow DEFRA Secretary said: The government has failed to cut wildlife crime and a decade of austerity has left these birds [protected raptors] vulnerable to poaching, with fewer police preventing poaching and fewer officers able to catch those responsible. We…