Tuesday 29 January 2013

Lobbying by Invitation

When Natural England decided to review its policies in relation to the uplands last year there were 54 invitations sent out requesting responses. A large part of the uplands is in public ownership of one sort and another. Much of that in private hands is also in receipt of a considerable state subsidy, especially if sheep are put on the hills. It's interesting to see the list of those invited. It includes the following many of which overlap considerably so can confidently be expected to respond in almost identical ways. There's also a good chance that many of the same people are members of several.


British Association for Shooting and Conservation
Burning Group  
National Gamekeepers Organisation
Country Land and Business Association
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
Heather Trust
Moorland Association 
Moors for the Future 
National Common Land Stakeholder Group including:
Federation of Cumbrian Commoners
Federation of Yorkshire Commoners and Graziers
Pastoral Alliance
National Farmers’ Union
National Sheep Association
Peatscapes
South West Uplands Federation
Tenant Farmers Association
The Grasslands Trust
Upland Hill Farmers
Upper Teesdale Grazing Forum

I'm wondering what chance there is of a fresh approach coming out when  so many of those asked have the same very one sided view.  Many of these groups are old hands in using lobbying and behind the scenes influence to skew our landscapes the way that suits them - a farmed and worked land where the only that wildlife that's welcome is that which can't affect their own plans. What is most galling is the way this approach is also imposed on public land.

2 comments:

Neil said...

Me neither. And you can bet their influence is crucial to what we experience when we walk even on our public land. It must be, because they have friends in high places in Natural England and DEFRA. Here's one a grouse moor owner.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/benyon/

Neil said...

You could also try looking up Rupert Charles Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley. He's also a DEFRA minister. Something makes me think he's unlikely to qualify as a peasant and the odds must be pretty short on him having shot a few brace in his time.