Highlander Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 This is an extract from the latest CA newsletter for all you guys/gals not members who might be interested. It's GB latest round of ministerial appointees to DEFRA (government farming (dis)organisation). If you thought the threat of loosing our shooting was going away READ THIS!... Gordon Brown's recent reshuffle and associated ministerial resignations have dominated the headlines in the last couple of weeks. Amongst the fevered speculation about whether the Prime Minister would survive and what each sentence of each resignation letter actually meant there has been very little comment on who, if anyone, is left running the country. In the case of Defra the answer seems to be: a surprise lot. Hilary Benn remains Secretary of State for Environment and we were glad to see that Huw Irranca-Davies retained his role as a junior minister. Jane Kennedy's resignation as Minister for Food, Farming and Environment was disappointing given the commitment she had shown to the role in the short time she had held it. Her replacement (the fifth farming Minister since 2001) is Jim Fitzpatrick a Glasgow born vegetarian who is MP for an East London constituency. Mr Fitzpatrick has been promoted to Minister of State in part, presumably, as a reward for delivering the last round of Post Office closures. And before you ask, there is absolutely nothing wrong with vegetarianism, but I need a little persuading that it is not an ideal platform from which to champion our farming and meat industry. More surprising still is the appointment of the new Minister for Rural Affairs, Dan Norris. Mr Norris may not be a vegetarian, but he was one of the most vociferous supporters of the Hunting Act. His behaviour on the eve of the hunting ban, when he arrived in Badminton to gloat at the pain of that community, will not be forgotten in a hurry. More recently he arrived with animal rights activists uninvited and outside his constituency to 'monitor' the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hunt, refusing to even speak with its members. This is surely the job of the police not our MPs? Mr Norris has been an MP for 12 years and held no significant Government post until this moment. After the last ministerial changes at Defra last year I wrote of the efforts that Defra Ministers were making and of: "a real opportunity here for Defra to re-focus on the issues that matter to those who live and work in the countryside". Mr Norris is now perfectly positioned to surprise us, and no one will be more delighted than I if he does. Even in the Government's current state ministerial appointments still matter. It looks likely that there could be up to another 11 months until an election and during this time it will be Defra Ministers who are making the important decisions that affect our lives, our communities and our countryside. Given all of this it is with a sense of weary déjà vu that I read of an Early Day Motion put down this week by Labour MP David Taylor that: "calls on the Government to bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity to prohibit the production of birds for sport shooting, in line with the ban introduced in Holland in 2002". They just don't get it do they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurstpol Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 The fox has really taken over the hen house !!!!! Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 Dont worry about it highlander , they will all be gone this time next year . Not enough time to do to much damage . Harnser , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 Dont worry about it highlander , they will all be gone this time next year . Not enough time to do to much damage . Harnser , but they can seed stuff...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 There is one thing I can never understand. Why can't we have a farmer in charge of the farming? A doctor in charge of the hospitals? A teacher in charge of the schools? etc. For heavens sake a vegetarian in charge of farming, it is like putting an accountant in charge of the country, oopps they already did that didn't they? If I needed someone to run my farm, I wouldn't employ a doctor now would I ? Madness all round, next thing will be, I have to scare the rabbits away before I can shoot them. Oh happy days, the lunatics ARE running the asylum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Divide and Rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grouse2008 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Because any one any good at those jobs doesnt need to be an mp - look at most mp s - would you employ them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 The fox has really taken over the hen house !!!!! Frank Foxes get shot. Lets make sure we get shot of Labour. Role on an early election. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Because any one any good at those jobs doesnt need to be an mp - look at most mp s - would you employ them? Fair point. Only thing most of them are any good at it seems is fiddling the books, reckon I could employ them to sort my accounts out. I second the call for early election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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