Hundreds Expected at Badger March Today
Hundreds of protestors are expected to gather in Exeter this afternoon (Saturday) to oppose any extension of the badger cull into Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
Protesters will gather in Belmont Park before marching through the city centre and will welcome a range of speakers from several groups opposing the cull.
The March is designed as a family-friendly event by organisers Exeter March against the Badger Cull and is also being supported by national wildlife charities Care for the Wild and the Badger Trust.
Andy Gilbert, joint organiser, said: “It looks likely that yet again the fields and farms of the South West will face night time shooting and cage trapping of badgers and once again the most dedicated of activists will be there night after night monitoring and protesting this issue which is so divisive within our communities.
“Saturday will be the opportunity for all those who disagree with the cull policy to voice their opinion in a democratic and peaceful protest open to all members of the public young and old.”
The government have yet to make a decision on an extension of the cull as the Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson says he is still weighing evidence from an independent report received two weeks ago.
Mr Paterson, who returned to commons yesterday after emergency eye surgery, said: "I received the panel's report only recently, I am considering it, and I will come back to the house in due course when it has been fully considered."
However support for the cull in commons seems to have faltered after numerous critical reports to the cull saw a backbench MP forward a non-binding motion.
In the vote, which took place last week , MPs voted 219 to 1 vote in favour of halting the ongoing pilot culls.
Speaking after the vote, shadow farming minister Huw Irranca-Davies, said: "Today parliament has expressed its very clear view [against] the mass cull of badgers.
"We have already the cross-bench support for a new way forward, a new consensus based on vaccination and cattle measures."
While the vote would not prevent MPs from pursuing the pilot culls or an extension to Devon it indicates the unpopularity of culls in parliament.
Emily McIvor, the Green Party’s national speaker on rural affairs and one of the lead South West candidates in this year’s European elections will be attending the march and will be speaking at the event. She will tell protesters:
“We understand the devastating effects of TB on farmers, which is why we are calling for the funds currently being wasted on this fiasco to be invested to finding a genuine solution instead. The Green Party is clear that culling is not the answer to what we consider a very serious rural problem. The government should just admit its error and cancel the culling programme now”.
