Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Thanks for updating BASC on feedback - lots of updates being done from today onwards.
Please Act Now - General Election 2024
- Thread starter Conor O'Gorman
- Start date
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
A BASC update on the general election campaign:
basc.org.uk
Boredom and apathy have no place in a general election
In the face of an election billed as a foregone conclusion, Christopher Graffius argues why we all must press for a positive outcome for shooting.
basc.org.uk
Morkai
Well-Known Member
I received this from the LibDem MP that won the North Shropshire by-election in 2021 against the Conservatives.
Thank you for writing to me regarding field sports, and particularly the conservation of natural habitats.
Like you, I have spent many years living among farmers and country sport enthusiasts and I have been proud to represent these constituents during my time as North Shropshire's MP.
Thousands of residents in North Shropshire are involved in farming, growing, or animal husbandry and have an intimate connection to the land and rural way of life. Local farmers and countryside businesses are integral to the welfare of countryside they live in.
I agree that game shooting can play a vital role in conservation while supporting local businesses and I support properly-regulated private firearms ownership.
Indeed I support country sports like shooting and fishing which make a real contribution to the rural landscape, the eco-system and economy. As you mention below, I believe this can be done while allowing wildlife such as gamebirds and fish to live their lives to the highest welfare standards.
Liberal Democrats are proud to support both animal welfare and the countryside economy. I believe the Conservatives have long taken rural areas for granted and that places like North Shropshire have been neglected during their time in Government.
If elected, I will continue to champion rural in Britain in Parliament while standing up for a fair deal for our farmers and other rural businesses.
Thank you again for writing to me.
Kind regards,
Helen
Helen Morgan
Liberal Democrat candidate for North Shropshire
Thank you for writing to me regarding field sports, and particularly the conservation of natural habitats.
Like you, I have spent many years living among farmers and country sport enthusiasts and I have been proud to represent these constituents during my time as North Shropshire's MP.
Thousands of residents in North Shropshire are involved in farming, growing, or animal husbandry and have an intimate connection to the land and rural way of life. Local farmers and countryside businesses are integral to the welfare of countryside they live in.
I agree that game shooting can play a vital role in conservation while supporting local businesses and I support properly-regulated private firearms ownership.
Indeed I support country sports like shooting and fishing which make a real contribution to the rural landscape, the eco-system and economy. As you mention below, I believe this can be done while allowing wildlife such as gamebirds and fish to live their lives to the highest welfare standards.
Liberal Democrats are proud to support both animal welfare and the countryside economy. I believe the Conservatives have long taken rural areas for granted and that places like North Shropshire have been neglected during their time in Government.
If elected, I will continue to champion rural in Britain in Parliament while standing up for a fair deal for our farmers and other rural businesses.
Thank you again for writing to me.
Kind regards,
Helen
Helen Morgan
Liberal Democrat candidate for North Shropshire
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Thanks! When you get a chance please email to politics@basc.org.uk
Had the following from conservatives for Maldon, none otheres replied or had contact details
Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your email about shooting.
In this country, there are about a million firearms and shotgun certificate holders, who legally hold about 2 million weapons. They are some of the most law-abiding people in this country; only 0.2% of all recorded crime is committed with legally held firearms.
I believe that shooting is an integral part of rural life, underpinning the social and economic fabric of the countryside. In addition to its significant economic contribution, providing jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas, the sport delivers important benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation. Whilst I recognise that not everyone supports the activity, I do support the right of people to take part in shooting sports and the rights of all those who wish to use firearms safely and in accordance with the law.
It is of course also the case that game management can play an important role in increasing biodiversity by providing cover for wildlife, and through the creation and care of habitats such as woodland, grouse moors, beetle banks and hedgerows. The vast majority of the grouse moors that are sites of special scientific interest are now in favourable or recovering condition, whereas only around half were in that state in 2006.
With best wishes
John Whittingdale
Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE
Conservative Candidate for Maldon
Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your email about shooting.
In this country, there are about a million firearms and shotgun certificate holders, who legally hold about 2 million weapons. They are some of the most law-abiding people in this country; only 0.2% of all recorded crime is committed with legally held firearms.
I believe that shooting is an integral part of rural life, underpinning the social and economic fabric of the countryside. In addition to its significant economic contribution, providing jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas, the sport delivers important benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation. Whilst I recognise that not everyone supports the activity, I do support the right of people to take part in shooting sports and the rights of all those who wish to use firearms safely and in accordance with the law.
It is of course also the case that game management can play an important role in increasing biodiversity by providing cover for wildlife, and through the creation and care of habitats such as woodland, grouse moors, beetle banks and hedgerows. The vast majority of the grouse moors that are sites of special scientific interest are now in favourable or recovering condition, whereas only around half were in that state in 2006.
With best wishes
John Whittingdale
Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE
Conservative Candidate for Maldon
Received this from my local Labour candidate:
Thank you for your email.
I am a passionate advocate for the welfare of all animals and birds, wild and farmed - as well protecting natural habitats. I also recognise that active habitat management can involve active management of the mammal population which may on occasion involve shooting.
Personally, I do not support the kind of sport shooting that involves purposefully breeding birds to then shoot them. However, I respect that for other people that may be different.
Yours sincerely
Fred Thomas
fredthomas.win
Thank you for your email.
I am a passionate advocate for the welfare of all animals and birds, wild and farmed - as well protecting natural habitats. I also recognise that active habitat management can involve active management of the mammal population which may on occasion involve shooting.
Personally, I do not support the kind of sport shooting that involves purposefully breeding birds to then shoot them. However, I respect that for other people that may be different.
Yours sincerely
Fred Thomas
fredthomas.win
Woodenbeam
Well-Known Member
Per the pundits, a tactical vote is probably a waste in this election. Most think Starmer will get a majority because the Tories have lost their way.
So pinching your nose and voting Conservative DESPITE their performance over the last term makes no sense.
I cannot see a more credible party than Reform in this election. If everyone voting tactically actually voted for Reform, some of the saner governance of previous governments would return in the next parliament.
So pinching your nose and voting Conservative DESPITE their performance over the last term makes no sense.
I cannot see a more credible party than Reform in this election. If everyone voting tactically actually voted for Reform, some of the saner governance of previous governments would return in the next parliament.
Nickb
Well-Known Member
people will be surprised how many votes they will get.And if they come nocking on the door perhaps we should ask "what are your views on bloodsports and privately held guns" ?
means it ends up going to a political aid who will do nothing but say they will consider it or similar BS
Just had an email from our Conservative candidate
Full email sent to BASC, very supportive
of shooting and conservation, however the below comment stood Out.
In contrast, in their manifesto Labour have pledged to hike up the cost of the cost of gun licenses by 36 per cent – showing they have no plan and would not protect this crucial sector. The Conservatives are determined to be the party that stands up for countryside and ensures that rural communities across this country can continue to thrive.
I believed that Labour were looking at full cost recovery for licenses. Does the above mean that someone somewhere has calculated the cost of full recovery? After all, if this is correct, the cost of a coterminous certificate will rise from £90 to £122.40 (not a huge increase in the grand scheme of things)
Full email sent to BASC, very supportive
of shooting and conservation, however the below comment stood Out.
In contrast, in their manifesto Labour have pledged to hike up the cost of the cost of gun licenses by 36 per cent – showing they have no plan and would not protect this crucial sector. The Conservatives are determined to be the party that stands up for countryside and ensures that rural communities across this country can continue to thrive.
I believed that Labour were looking at full cost recovery for licenses. Does the above mean that someone somewhere has calculated the cost of full recovery? After all, if this is correct, the cost of a coterminous certificate will rise from £90 to £122.40 (not a huge increase in the grand scheme of things)
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Thanks @Trickyd66
@T.eddie and @J o h n thanks also, and if you have not already done so please send those responses onto politics@basc.org.uk
BASC's campaign site now has most of the candidates contacts available and views of candidates published. For anyone yet to use the site, or to try again visit:
Contact your parliamentary candidates
For a summary of what the party manifestoes say about shooting click the link below.
basc.org.uk
@T.eddie and @J o h n thanks also, and if you have not already done so please send those responses onto politics@basc.org.uk
BASC's campaign site now has most of the candidates contacts available and views of candidates published. For anyone yet to use the site, or to try again visit:
Contact your parliamentary candidates
For a summary of what the party manifestoes say about shooting click the link below.
Election 2024: what do the party manifestoes say about shooting?
BASC’s Conor O’Gorman reviews political party manifestoes and urges everyone to contact their parliamentary candidates before 4 July.
basc.org.uk
Liberal Democrats response for Maldon, have forwarded to basc
Dear Thomas
Thank you for contacting me about sustainable shooting and conservation and for sharing BASC’s manifesto.
As a Liberal Democrat, I want to see a flourishing natural environment which everyone can enjoy and which can be enjoyed by future generations. Conservation is really important, and I acknowledge your views on the role that sustainable shooting can play in this as well as its contribution to the economy, especially here in our area in Maldon with its rural landscapes.
If elected, I would be happy to meet with BASC to discuss their manifesto, ask further questions and hear more of the detail behind the proposals.
Thanks again for getting in touch with me.
Best wishes
Simon
Dear Thomas
Thank you for contacting me about sustainable shooting and conservation and for sharing BASC’s manifesto.
As a Liberal Democrat, I want to see a flourishing natural environment which everyone can enjoy and which can be enjoyed by future generations. Conservation is really important, and I acknowledge your views on the role that sustainable shooting can play in this as well as its contribution to the economy, especially here in our area in Maldon with its rural landscapes.
If elected, I would be happy to meet with BASC to discuss their manifesto, ask further questions and hear more of the detail behind the proposals.
Thanks again for getting in touch with me.
Best wishes
Simon
tackb
Well-Known Member
well thats a non answer
It's definitely the sort of response I'd expect from a politician. Hopefully BASC's politics team can reach out off the back of the forwarded email to have a proper chat
Below from Taunton and Wellington lib dems.
I added a bit mentioning clay / target shooting, which they appear supportive of... Game shooting / pest control, much less so.
Forwarded to politics email.
Thank you for writing to me on this.
Since the calling of the election I have begun to receive up to a hundred emails per day and whilst we sent many replies a little while ago a number of email accounts would not accept emails from this address which has caused delays to for some, for which apologies.
I have read the BASC five point manifesto and am generally supportive of it.
In particular I very much support the case for sustainable shooting such as by clay shooters and target shooters in particular and support these field sports, I’m keen to support rural life and businesses wherever I can (1) and I’d be keen to come clay shooting locally sometime.
While I would not personally take part in any shooting of live animals for sport, given the BASC policy of respecting quarry species and as a Liberal, I recognise the importance of shooting and would not support an outright ban on doing so at this stage based on the provisos set out in the BASC manifesto and given the role pheasant and partridge farming plays in local economies and communities and the conservation benefits. However, I would be willing to keep this under review (2).
I strongly support a properly resourced firearms licensing system (3).
I recognise there can be a need for shooting for pest management, rather than just for sport, provided this is humanely carried out (4).
While it probably isn’t the job of government to be “building participation in shooting sports”(which I think is more for BASC and other enthusiasts than for he state) I do agree with the concept of developing and “facilitating shooting’s contribution to conservation” (5).
We need to move towards shooting and related sports which do not unnecessarily harm animals and which contribute to reversing the climate and nature emergencies that we face.
To this end I and our Taunton and Wellington Liberal Democrat team have planted hundreds of trees here in our area in each of the last five years - we plant trees for every leaflet we publish.
I added a bit mentioning clay / target shooting, which they appear supportive of... Game shooting / pest control, much less so.
Forwarded to politics email.
Thank you for writing to me on this.
Since the calling of the election I have begun to receive up to a hundred emails per day and whilst we sent many replies a little while ago a number of email accounts would not accept emails from this address which has caused delays to for some, for which apologies.
I have read the BASC five point manifesto and am generally supportive of it.
In particular I very much support the case for sustainable shooting such as by clay shooters and target shooters in particular and support these field sports, I’m keen to support rural life and businesses wherever I can (1) and I’d be keen to come clay shooting locally sometime.
While I would not personally take part in any shooting of live animals for sport, given the BASC policy of respecting quarry species and as a Liberal, I recognise the importance of shooting and would not support an outright ban on doing so at this stage based on the provisos set out in the BASC manifesto and given the role pheasant and partridge farming plays in local economies and communities and the conservation benefits. However, I would be willing to keep this under review (2).
I strongly support a properly resourced firearms licensing system (3).
I recognise there can be a need for shooting for pest management, rather than just for sport, provided this is humanely carried out (4).
While it probably isn’t the job of government to be “building participation in shooting sports”(which I think is more for BASC and other enthusiasts than for he state) I do agree with the concept of developing and “facilitating shooting’s contribution to conservation” (5).
We need to move towards shooting and related sports which do not unnecessarily harm animals and which contribute to reversing the climate and nature emergencies that we face.
To this end I and our Taunton and Wellington Liberal Democrat team have planted hundreds of trees here in our area in each of the last five years - we plant trees for every leaflet we publish.
Similar threads
