General election - not too late to speak up for shooting

[David63]

Dear All

With ten days to go until polling day we are asking BASC members to support our election campaign.

The opinion polls are suggesting a hung parliament. Whatever the outcome, it seems certain that there will be more new MPs than at any time since 1945. We will have our work cut out to build strong support for shooting in the next parliament. Identifying where candidates stand is the essential first step – and an election is the ideal opportunity.

BASC has launched a new service on the website to help shooters find where their candidates stand on shooting. Candidates are more likely to respond to an enquiry from a constituent than a question from BASC headquarters. We are therefore asking members to use our service to email their candidates through our election website.

This will help us target the right MPs, urge them to join the All-Party Group and offer them the opportunity to try shooting, meet shooters and see for themselves the substantial benefits that shooting provides for recreation, the environment and the rural economy.

Click here http://campaign.publicaffairsbriefing.co.uk/home.aspx?cid=cbe623ac-bce3-43c0-8353-490c7e6ead7e/

to visit the election page on the BASC website where you can find all the information you need.

Protecting our sport in the new parliament will put additional demands on our resources.

BASC strives to keep the annual subscription as low as is consistent with the best representation for your sport. Throughout the year we provide other opportunities for you to give a little extra if you wish. Every pound raised in this way goes directly to benefit shooting.

If you have not yet had the chance, please visit our Election Appeal which you can find off the main site I would be very grateful for your support.

Yours sincerely


Christopher Graffius
Director of Communications

 

[flytie]

I used the link from another forum, and had responses from all candidates from the three main parties. My favourite was from the conservative candidate, Harriet (bless her), who forgot to answer the question which was put to her. I took great delight in telling her she would obviously make a good politician because she had failed to answer the question. I had a very hurried and embarrassed response and a fullsome apollogy.

ft

 

[David63]

Not all candidates have an e-mail address I am affriad, but please let me know who you think the missing candidates are.

Thanks

David

 

[David63]

But still does not stop someone from contacting their MP or PPC all be it by phone or letter and then letting us know the result does it?

We can't help it if an MP or PPC does not have or give an e-mail address...of course there will be those that WILL blame BASC for this

David

 

[Blot]

Saffron Waldon Labour MP

The labour MP for Saffron Walden constituency is Barbara Light who can be contacted by e mail at: swclp-campaign@live.co.uk

 

[Briarquest]

The Conservatives email just bounces back unknown. None of the others have replied.


Selby Area, North Yorkshire

Ian

 

[cjm1066]

Nice one BASC, a few teething problems with candidates not having email addresses are expected but this is a simple effective idea.

 

[finnbear270]

Own goal I think David?

 

[David63]

Unlike you I have not taken offence at the use of the rolling eyes icon, but I appologise if I offended you by the use of the same. I always thought the icons were light hearted...how wrong can i be...

Working together we can populate the missing data fields and get even more impact on supporting shooting with the new parliament, so thanks for the PM.

Regardless of ths anyone who has had feedback from their MP or PPC, be it via the BASC web site, Google or any other tooland please let us know so we can update reccords.

Thanks

David

 

[merlin]

I e-mailed my parliamentary candidates a number of weeks ago using the BASC link.....

Guess what? Not a single reply . Quelle surprise. Funnily enough, though, they were all quite happy to offer their views on the possible repeal of the foxhunting ban by a Tory Govt within the pages of the local rag recently....

Perhaps stalking and shooting are less "ooh, let's try and blag a quick populist vote" than foxhunting? Or perhaps they just can't be ar**d......

 

[bobt]

I know where most of mine live, I wonder if a letter through the letterbox would have an effect?

 

[Harry mac]

David,
Just five minutes on Google and I have found the email addresses for three of the four missing from the BASC list for my constituency and have pm'd them to you. Google is obviously a research tool beyond the wit of a well paid media company.

Perhaps BASC should consider investing in some sort of media centre

 

[finnbear270]

Perhaps BASC should consider investing in some sort of media centre

OWwwwcchh!, they know how to hurt in 'ere!.......... good job I've got skin like a Hippocroccapig!

 

[Tikka 260]

David

The following from the Chichester constituency Labour candidate.


Dear Peter

I would like to thankyou for your email

> - I am supportive of some aspects of legal shooting sports but have
> reservations in one or more areas.

and as a result would like more information.

thanks

Simon Holland

The Labour Party Candidate Chichester Constituency


I received a non committal reply from the Tory Rt Hon Member which was in the form of a letter, and vague support for the status quo, and of course nothing from the Bunny Hugger at the Lib Dem Camp.

Best

Peter

 

[pip]

David,

Be assured that I, for one, will not be blaming BASC as you fear some might. I am, however, offended by your use of the rolling eyes icon suggesting I may lack the gumption to contact local candidates of my own volition. When we were first made aware of this petioning device you told us that the list was provided by a media research company or such like, for which BASC was no doubt charged a fee. Now we are told that if an email address isn't supplied then we should contact the candidates personally. So what, then, is the point of paying professional fees to an agency that has clearly failed to fulfill the task for which it was employed? Succinctly, if a job is worth doing, its worth doing well.

Just five minutes on Google and I have found the email addresses for three of the four missing from the BASC list for my constituency and have pm'd them to you. Google is obviously a research tool beyond the wit of a well paid media company.

Why didn't you just do this in the first place if you feel that strongly?

I contacted my local labour MP, Dan Norris, who would not give an answer by email but invited me to one of his surgeries to discuss. He could only do them on Fridays which due to other commitments I could not do. I then phoned the office and explained the situation and one of his staff promised me a letter from him. As I expected, I did not recieve a reply. As luck would have it I met him this morning. He was outside my daughter's primary school gates, canvassing. I spoke to him about the lack of response and he just blamed the election for lack of time even though it was Feb when I got the ball rolling. However, I finally got an answer and that was he doesn't mind shooting for the pot or deer management but doesn't like commercial , big bag pheasant shooting and hates foxhunting. I emailed BASC with my findings and Chris Graffius replied thanking me.

Back to my original point, if you genuinely feel strongly about this then a bit of graft will get the answer in the end and I think BASC should be commended for the idea even if email addresses were not supplied in some cases.

 

[pip]

Iwrch

Thanks for clearing that up. To be fair, I can see your point. I would imagine that not everyone would bother if the path of least resitance was not available to them.

 

[Blot]

Received a reply from the Lib Dem MP for Saffron Walden as per below. He even gave his mobile phone number which I have not included. I don't vote for this party but at least the guy replied.
***************************************************
Many thanks for your enquiry.

I am pleased that you are one of the 120,000 members of the BASC and I agree that I support shooting sports conducted according to your codes of practice, which I have looked at on their website.

Although I do not shoot, in the past I enjoyed target shooting in my earlier years.

I must add that although I support shooting that is controlled under the BASC, it is important that their members abide by their code of conduct to ensure that it is a safe and well controlled sport for all.

If you have further questions, I would be only too pleased to answer them, and hopefully I may get to meet you .

Regards

Peter Wilcock
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate,
Saffron Walden

 

[mereside]

i also sent emails to all east riding of yorkshire candidates and recieved these emails ,
Hello Wayne Rollison

Thank you for this.

I find it a difficult one because our party policy is against killing animals for sport, but I realise that there is much to be said for eating wild game as opposed to factory farming of animals for food. I do also realise that hunting and shooting has a role in protecting the character of the countryside and some species of plants and animals.

As long as people eat animals, then catching wild animals (and fish) is preferable to factory farming methods.

Speaking personally, despite my being a meat eater, I have no idea what pleasure is to be extracted from killing an animal, whether for sport or otherwise. This makes it difficult to empathise with those who do! (And some of them are long standing friends)

My response, therefore, is the 4th of your options (ie. I don't have enough
information)

As a constituency MP I would support with vigour the values of rural society, and fight to restore those parts of community life which are under threat; such as rural enterprise, pubs, post offices, efficient public transport and local schools. I would also seek a partnership with farmers to get farming restored as a means of meeting local need, both in food and in other economic and social benefits.

To the East of Hornsea - the North Sea, lies an area which used to provide 'game' which was sufficient to feed ourselves and most of Europe. A generation ago it provided livelihood for the whole sub region. We have allowed this vast treasure to be fished out with no regard to restoring its richness and consequent economic benefit to Holderness and Hull, thinking that fish can be found elsewhere, and jobs can be reallocated. I am already campaigning (as secretary of Marinet, the marine arm of Friends of the
Earth) for this foolish assumption to be reviewed, and for conservation measures to be introduced to restore the lost riches in abundant fish for future generations.

Best wishes, Bill Rigby

Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Beverley and Holderness




Dear Wayne

I support shooting sports conducted according to the current codes of practice.

Regards

Ian Saunders
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Beverley & Holderness
Dear Mr Rollinson,

I am partial to some target shooting myself with an air-rifle. I support shooting sports conducted according to the current codes of practice.

All the best

Craig lib dem


then today i recieved a letter from graham stuart who is conservative candidate and he wrote,
dear mr rollinson
thank you for your email regarding shooting for many people country sports are an integeral part of rural life,and they contribute a considerable amount to the rural economy as you have rightly mentioned.
the conservative party has pledged that we will preserve the right of the people to engage in country sports and will only regulate where a self regulation fails to maintain high standards of animal welfare and enviromental care.
in the meantime i am symperthetic to the concerns you have raised with me and i support shooting sports conducted to the current codes of practice best wishes graham.

 

[David63]

Thanks all, great feedback

David

 

[monynut]

I emailed my local candidates a while back and within the first day got a reply from the conservative guy, very positive full support of shooting/countrysports everything we need to hear, the lib guy took about 3 wks to get back and would not commit to anything, the labor guy still has not replied and l aint holding my breath for a reply, not that they would have got my vote anyway.