Be ashamed if you're British

I

IanRRobinson

Well-Known Member
Richard Benyon: The bird-brained minister - Nature - Environment - The Independent

I don't know how many UK posters have seen this story, but it appals me. Putting aside the fact that St Francis of Assisi would have been sorely tempted by the pathetically tame pheasant poults released in their millions every August, all the evidence suggests that the Common Buzzard has negligible impact on gamebirds.

How the hell can UK based conservation bodies try to persuade poor farmers in Africa and Asia to tolerate the presence of such potentially lethal beasts like crocodiles, big cats, bears, elephants, rhinos or hippos with any credibility now?
 
I've sort of come to expect something like this from our current government- they seem to have some sort of vendetta against native wildlife. I'm sure a fair few of British posters know of the current blind willingness to kill badgers in order to protect cattle, even though evidence suggests that all manner of things are responsible for spreading BTB.

It also shows the ignorance of a select group of people. Whenever a predator shows some sort of increase in numbers, it is suddenly 'too many' and people start calling out for culls.
 
IanRRobinson said:
Richard Benyon: The bird-brained minister - Nature - Environment - The Independent

I don't know how many UK posters have seen this story, but it appals me. Putting aside the fact that St Francis of Assisi would have been sorely tempted by the pathetically tame pheasant poults released in their millions every August, all the evidence suggests that the Common Buzzard has negligible impact on gamebirds.

How the hell can UK based conservation bodies try to persuade poor farmers in Africa and Asia to tolerate the presence of such potentially lethal beasts like crocodiles, big cats, bears, elephants, rhinos or hippos with any credibility now?
Click to expand...

Disgusting, yes, but this does not surprise me in the least considering the present administration, "Now look, I'm a privileged upper class Tory toff and I am entitled to blast the pheasants, grouse and anything else that is stupid enough to get in the way out of the sky, just as I was entitled to rip foxes to pieces when I rode out with hounds, those bloody lefties banned this as a way at getting at their superior class, and I intend to make this legal again during the current parliament, bugger the state of the economy, unemployment etc. fox hunting is a very important event in one's social calender, just like the"glorious" twelfth, stop criticising and remember your place Robinson, and have respect for your superior class:)
 
Holy crap. There is something seriously wrong when the Minister is proposing this kind of action without real scientifc advice.

:(

Hix
 
Hix said:
Holy crap. There is something seriously wrong when the Minister is proposing this kind of action without real scientifc advice.

:(

Hix
Click to expand...

It's also against the law. How can anyone be safe in their beds when a minister can ride roughshod over legality without any recourse to Parliament?
 
This is unbelievable.. ESPECIALLY in UK!
First the badger cull, and then this??

Seriously, how did this guy even become a minister for environment?
 
I had a look on his Facebook page.. Apart from many comments from outraged people, I found this - he posted this link on 24th of May:
Myth Bust: Reports that Defra is proposing to cull buzzards Defra News

Myth Bust: Reports that Defra is proposing to cull buzzards

The Myth:

There have been recent reports that Defra is proposing to cull buzzards or is about to implement a new policy to control their numbers.

The Truth:

Defra is absolutely not proposing to cull buzzards or any other raptors.

We work on the basis of sound evidence. This is why we want to find out the true extent of buzzards preying on young pheasants and how best to discourage birds that may cause damage to legitimate businesses. This would be only in areas where there is a clear problem, using non-lethal methods including increasing protective cover for young pheasants with vegetation, diversionary feeding of buzzards, moving the birds elsewhere or destroying empty nests. The results of this scientific research will help guide our policy on this issue in the future.

As the RSPB have said, the buzzard population has recovered wonderfully over the last few years, and we want to see this continue.
Click to expand...

Yeah.. work on the basis of sound evidence.. 5 days later, he´s sending people to destroy the nests.. This guy should not use the "sound evidence" phrase, he obviously doesn´t know, what that means.

(still waiting for the "sound evidence" to support badger cull..)
 
I have just seen on the teletex news that Richard Benyon has now made a U turn, regarding the culling of buzzards, they are now exploring other avenues to control buzzard numbers, the Countryside Alliance have described this move as "giving in".
 
The bit about 'destroying empty nests' amused me- what on earth would that achieve?:confused:

I can remember a time when Buzzards were almost entirely confined to the hilly districts in the West of the UK. This sort of proposal would be a major step backwards.:(
 
TARZAN said:
I have just seen on the teletex news that Richard Benyon has now made a U turn, regarding the culling of buzzards, they are now exploring other avenues to control buzzard numbers, the Countryside Alliance have described this move as "giving in".
Click to expand...

Yep, U-turn :)
BBC News - Buzzard capture plans abandoned after 'public concerns'

Some quotes in the article are amazing:

Minister Richard Benyon:
In the light of the public concerns expressed in recent days, I have decided to look at developing new research proposals on buzzards.
Click to expand...

Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance
Wild animal management is an essential part of the countryside that is largely misunderstood by those in towns, cities and, apparently, Whitehall.
This study was explicitly non-lethal and right for the countryside as a whole. That the government has chosen to ignore rural people in favour of a large and vocal special interest group shows ministers are now willing to give in to whoever shouts the loudest.
Click to expand...

I hate when they use the "people in cities don´t understand" phrase!

Anyway, it´s over for now, let´s see what they´ll come up with next ;)
 
Stefka said:
Yep, U-turn :)
BBC News - Buzzard capture plans abandoned after 'public concerns'

Some quotes in the article are amazing:

Minister Richard Benyon:


Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance


I hate when they use the "people in cities don´t understand" phrase!

Anyway, it´s over for now, let´s see what they´ll come up with next ;)
Click to expand...

Yes indeed, we've heard all this before, the people who live in towns and cities don't understand the ways of the countryside,nothing more than some feeble attempt to justify their bloodsports, how very patronising and pompous, we are not all fortunate to live on country estates with servants grateful to tug their forelocks at us, but please give us credit for understanding decency and compassion towards sentient beings please, a U turn has been made, well just like the pasty tax, poor Cameron, his heroin never made U turns, no rejoicing at that news then for the Tory toffs,
 
When I lived in the UK, I voted for Labour, twice. What fascinated me, was that regardless of which party you voted for, you always ended up supporting the Eton/Oxford-educated, landed gentry types.
 
I agree with the sentiments expressed here. A few months ago, the government was intending to sell off forests. I'm glad it backed down from the idea of destroying buzzard nests so that more pheasants would be available for shooting. There is a lot of hypocrisy in conservation. People in the third world are expected to conserve dangerous animals, even if they kill some of their people, while many people in the first world seem only too willing to kill animals that may pose little, if any, threat to them. There is no justification for people to shoot pheasants for fun. I would much prefer to see a soaring buzzard than a dead pheasant any day.
 
nanoboy said:
regardless of which party you voted for, you always ended up supporting the Eton/Oxford-educated, landed gentry types.
Click to expand...

Yeah,

That pretty much sums it up, the "Tim Nice But Dim characters that attend Eton where £Millionaire Daddy sends them are always given the silver spoon firmly inserted you know where treatment with regards to getting this type of government position. You see their sort on TV talking and you just know they didn't think up those speeches themselves. You would laugh if they weren't in positions with power.

If you are reading this Minister or some reads this who can forward him this then here is a TOP TIP to prevent the needless killing of buzzards and increase the number of pheasants on the Estates and the Private Lands at the same time! (where one likes to shoot). I personally have nothing against game bird shoots or even fox hunting myself, it is a British countryside tradition.

The Top Tip, plant extra acres/hectares of either sunflowers or maize on some of the spare land (there is always plenty of spare land plenty where the upper class shoots take place). Plants such as these when grown and left to die where they stand make ideal breeding grounds for pheasants and provide free food from above too (seeds and kernels). The pheasants will breed like wildfire here and the nasty buzzards cannot get into a dense sunflower or maize field to kill the pheasants so there is no need to kill buzzards now. The addition of extra food (maize or corn - super cheap ££ :)) into and around the breeding areas keep the pheasants closer to safety and ensures more survive for the shoots. When it comes to the time of the shoots, the 'Eton Gentry' (providing they know one end of a gun from another) only have to send the beaters to the maize/ sunflower fields (have several around the estate for added fun :cool:) when the beaters arrive, out fly the pheasants and tally ho bag a brace or more on first shot!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top