Reply to the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats!

Have you had generic responses to your emails to Nick Clegg and David Cameron? Both parties will authorise a 'cull' of badgers to secure votes in the next general election. The Liberal Democrats have said they will allow a trial 'cull', which will only mirror the useless misery that is about to unfold in Wales. The Conservatives haven't even said what form their wildlife annihilation will take, which could potentially mean they will allow farmers to go kill-crazy across England. Please send a response to them (using our pre-formatted emails below as a template) before it is too late!

David Cameron: camerond@parliament.uk

"Dear David,

Thank you for your reply to me about the Conservatives' policy of badger 'culling', but again I urge you to rethink this potentially disastrous policy.

In your response you do not say what kind of 'cull' you would authorise. Are you calling for a trial 'cull' of badgers? As you know, an equally misguided trial 'cull' is set to go ahead in Wales later this year. Is it not madness to replicate a trial that will cost the lives of thousands of wild animals? Especially as it will achieve nothing, apart from deflect attention away from the real reasons for the spread of bovine TB - cattle movements and insufficient testing. The decision in Wales is purely politically motivated - and it is difficult to see your new policy as anything else.

If you are not calling for a limited trial 'cull' then exactly what are you proposing? It sounds suspiciously like genocide for wildlife. Whilst we agree that it is terribly wrong that cattle and badgers should suffer, it is also wrong to annihilate wild animals because of the wholesale failings of both Government and the agricultural industry.

You appear to be cherry picking your findings, whilst ignoring the consensus of the Independent Scientific Group's report - that badger 'culling' can play no significant role in controlling bovine TB. The current Government had the courage to follow sound science; I would hope that the Conservatives were able to do so, also. It is sensible to pursue the other measures that you describe - tighter cattle controls; improved testing etc - but isn't it also sensible to see if these work before pronouncing a death sentence on the nation's wildlife?

Also, Defra's provisional figures until the end of February this year show a decrease in the TB incidence rate. This indicates that current measures may be bringing the situation under control, which must give pause for thought.

Please rethink this decision, otherwise I will have to reconsider my intention to vote for your party at the next general election. I will also contact all of my friends and family and ask them to do the same."
 

Nick Clegg: libdemleader@parliament.uk 

"Dear Nick,

Thank you for your reply to me about the Liberal Democrats' policy of badger 'culling', but again I urge you to rethink this potentially disastrous policy.

In your response you call for a trial 'cull' in England, where badgers are confined by hard boundaries (such as rivers and cliff tops). Surely you know that an equally misguided trial 'cull' is set to go ahead in Wales later this year. Is it not madness to replicate a trial that will cost the lives of thousands of wild animals? Especially as it will achieve nothing, apart from deflect attention away from the real reasons for the spread of bovine TB - cattle movements and insufficient testing. The decision in Wales is purely politically motivated - and it is difficult to see your new policy as anything else.

I also take issue with your statement that badgers killed on the road often test positive for bovine TB. A Defra survey (Road Traffic Accident Survey (RTA)) from 2002 to 2004 found that six out of seven badgers killed on roads in areas of high infection were free of the disease.

Also, Defra's provisional figures until the end of February this year show a decrease in the TB incidence rate. This indicates that current measures may be bringing the situation under control.

We have already had the Government initiated Independent Scientific Group's report that said that 'culling' badgers made no meaningful contribution to controlling the disease. As part of that, the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) cost £34 million and took 12,000 badgers' lives. How many more badgers have to die before agricultural and governmental failings are faced up to?

The Liberal Democrats have a relatively good history of pro-animal welfare reforms, so I am especially disappointed that this ill-thought out policy has been adopted. Please rethink this decision, otherwise I will have to reconsider my intention to vote for your party at the next general election. I will also contact all of my friends and family and ask them to do the same."

Click here for initial emails to the political parties and other ideas on how you can campaign for badgers.