A reaction to the Labour Party's plans for protecting animals

As trailed in her speech at the Lodge a fortnight ago (see here), Maria Eagle MP today launched the Labour Party's plans for protecting animals.  These include proposals to tackle wildlife crime and help Hen Harriers. 

Regular readers of this blog will know that this was one of the three issues we raised in our joint rally for nature before Christmas.  On that day, we had support from across the political spectrum and we are encouraging all parties to set out their plans for how they will stop illegal killing. 

Here is what the Labour party has pledged...

Tackle Wildlife Crime and Reduce Animal Cruelty on Shooting Estates

Birds of prey are intensively persecuted, and iconic birds such as the hen harrier are in danger of being lost as a breeding species in England. More needs to be done to protect these birds of prey on shooting estates.

The practice of snaring also needs to be reviewed. Snares can cause extreme suffering to animals and often a painful, lingering death. Because snares are used mainly, though not exclusively, on shooting estates to protect game birds, it is right that labour works with stakeholders to address this cruel practice.

The Labour Party is clear that more should be done to reduce the suffering of animals on shooting estates. The next Labour Government will undertake an independent review on how to:

• end the illegal persecution of birds of prey, such as the hen harrier;
• prevent non-target animals getting trapped in snares;
• ensure the humane treatment of game birds.

Ongoing persecution of birds of prey as well as the poor environmental condition of our uplands has lead us to conclude that driven grouse moors should be licensed (here) and, as in Scotland, an offence of vicarious responsibility should be introduced so that landowners are also held account for any illegal activity of their gamekeepers. 

We need a political focus on tackling wildlife crime so we would, after the General Election, work closely with any commission established by any party to look at these issues.  We also believe that it is in the interests of the shooting community to do the same.   Many landowners and farmers that run shoots do great things for nature conservation but they are let down by those that continue to flout the law.  Together we should all speak out against illegal killing and work with politicians of all parties to improve the environmental standards of shooting.

And, of course, the RSPB will continue to work with the police to end bird crime.  Our charity was established more than 125 years ago over public outcry over exploitation of wild birds in the hat trade.  It is a sad truth that persecution continues to this day.  In just this past week, we have worked with the police to secure a successful conviction of a game farm owner for using a pole-trap (see here) and, with the police have appealed for information about the shooting a protected bird in Norfolk (here) and two men shooting at a goshawk nest in Scotland (here).

The current review of environmental legislation by the European Commission should also be used as the opportunity to bolster the implementation of laws currently in place. Making sure that the National Wildlife Crime Unit is properly funded would be an important component of this.

You can read the Labour proposals in full here. 

I look forward to hearing plans from the other political parties about how they would tackle wildlife crime.

What do you think about the Labour party's plans to tackle wildlife crime?

It would be great to hear your views.