Interesting answers to a parliamentary question put down by Tory MP David Ruffley. Mr Ruffley asked the Home Office "how many (a) charges, (b) prosecutions, (c) convictions, (d) cautions and (e) fines there have been for breaches of the Hunting Act 2004 in each police force area since its enactment?". The reply came yesterday. Apparently […]
Shadow Environment Secretary Peter Ainsworth has set out a list of questions that the Government needs to answer following the findings that leaky pipes at the Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright were probably responsible for the recent Foot and Mouth outbreak: "When did Ministers first know that the effluent pipes and manholes were deficient? […]
"I spoke to the Prime Minister this morning and have been meeting with farmers here in Oxfordshire. We fully support imposing a ban on the movement of farm animals – this was one of the vital lessons learnt in 2001. Livestock farmers face real difficulties with higher feed prices, the dislocation caused by floods and […]
That’s a headline from tomorrow’s Mail on Sunday. Simon Walters opens by saying: "David Cameron risks offending animal rights campaigners after details of his secret passion for stag shooting, one of the bloodiest field sports, were revealed." I’m actually quite impressed. As the article continues: "[Cameron] is one of the few marksmen skilled enough to […]
David Cameron (and David Miliband) has spoken to the Oxford Farming Conference today. Here are the key themes from the Tory leader’s wide-ranging speech: Britain’s beautiful countryside depends upon farmers: "It cannot be said too often that the fact that our countryside is one of our most precious national assets is not in spite of […]
52.8% of listeners voted for repeal of the Hunting Act. 29.7% agreed with Dan Hannan’s recommendation of repealing the European Communities Act. The full result is here. This vote continues the excellent tradition of Today listeners upsetting the Today programme’s editors. However many times the Today programme changes the nature of its New Year competition […]
This from the Western Daily Press: "Tory stalwart Ann Widdecombe has joined the battle to prevent the slaughter of a West pet cow suspected of being contaminated with BSE.The Conservative MP for Maidstone has become the second MP to join the campaign to save Jersey cow Harriet from slaughter. Harriet, whose cause is also backed […]
At the weekend Tony Blair called upon "the silent majority to act against animal rights protesters who hinder medical research". News reaches ConservativeHome today that David Cameron has signed Early Day Motion 2110 which has, according to Compassion in World Farming, "called for the overturning of new powers that would allow diseased poultry flocks to […]
The Observer reports that an unnamed industrialist has cancelled a £250,000 pledge to the Tory party over concern at "downgrading of the party’s commitment to reduce taxes and the abandonment of long-held Tory positions, including support of business." It also notes that Robin Harris, former Thatcher speechwriter, will use an article for Prospect magazine to […]
A-lister Adam Rickitt reviews the importance of agriculture to British life and attacks Labour for its handling of the new system of farm payments. In whatever form it takes, and over whatever country it presides, the role of any Government can be defined by two simple duties of care: to provide the best for its […]