Benyon has too many vested interests, time to step down? Options

[Sherlock]

Richard Benyon seems a nice enough chap in person but as one of the landowning aristocracy - with a vested interest in gravel extraction and exterminating birds of prey - surely he shouldn't be responsible for wildlife and biodiversity?

http://goo.gl/heHbh

Better to shift him into a ministerial post where he can do less damage to the environment. Defence or roads, perhaps?

[dannyboy]

Richard Benyon seems a nice enough chap in person but as one of the landowning aristocracy - with a vested interest in gravel extraction and exterminating birds of prey - surely he shouldn't be responsible for wildlife and biodiversity?

http://goo.gl/heHbh

Better to shift him into a ministerial post where he can do less damage to the environment. Defence or roads, perhaps?

A shame that Monbiot ruins his article with rather ludicrous stereotyping.

[Sherlock]

A shame that Monbiot ruins his article with rather ludicrous stereotyping.

Well if you want to talk stereotypes it's difficult to think what else Benyon could do to embody the huntin, shootin and fishin landed gentry isn't it? He only needs a slightly dimmer brother who's a CofE Archbishop and he'd have the full set!

Ad hominems aside, what do you reckon about the substance of the thing? Unfair?

[dannyboy]

Well if you want to talk stereotypes it's difficult to think what else Benyon could do to embody the huntin, shootin and fishin landed gentry isn't it? He only needs a slightly dimmer brother who's a CofE Archbishop and he'd have the full set!

Ad hominems aside, what do you reckon about the substance of the thing? Unfair?

I can't see that the Buzzards do any more damage to the Pheasant population than cars.

Capturing & re-locating buzzards - a pointless waste of money.

[Jayjay]

Putting aside the question of the ethics of shooting game or destroying buzzard nests, why is the tax payer being asked to fork out £375,000 to enable rich men to enjoy their 'sport'?

[dannyboy]

Putting aside the question of the ethics of shooting game or destroying buzzard nests, why is the tax payer being asked to fork out £375,000 to enable rich men to enjoy their 'sport'?

The taxpayer is paying for a study into whether or not relocating buzzards has any effect on the mortality rate amongst young pheasants. Owners of shoot cannot do this themselves as the buzzards is a protected bird.

It is the same as DEFRA paying to cull badgers.

[Jayjay]

The taxpayer is paying for a study into whether or not relocating buzzards has any effect on the mortality rate amongst young pheasants. Owners of shoot cannot do this themselves as the buzzards is a protected bird.

It is the same as DEFRA paying to cull badgers.

Did DEFRA also pay for a study into the decline of the house sparrow, the willow tit, the linnet, the wood warbler or the cookoo?

[Biker1]

Putting aside the question of the ethics of shooting game or destroying buzzard nests, why is the tax payer being asked to fork out £375,000 to enable rich men to enjoy their 'sport'?

I am sure some women participate in enjoying blasting innocent animals out of the sky too!
I like the way you put "sport" in inverted commas as you obviously agree it is not.

[Andy Capp]

I am sure some women participate in enjoying blasting innocent animals out of the sky too!
I like the way you put "sport" in inverted commas as you obviously agree it is not.

Of course it is not a sport. It is a recreation.

[Biker1]

Of course it is not a sport. It is a recreation.

Agreed, so why do some call is so?

[Rowley Birkin]

is darts a sport?

[dannyboy]

Did DEFRA also pay for a study into the decline of the house sparrow, the willow tit, the linnet, the wood warbler or the cookoo?

No - maybe you should sugest it to them. I think species only become of interest when they are either knocking on the door of extinction / causing economic loss.

[Biker1]

is darts a sport?

No, it is a game.

[Penelope]

I think its appalling that some toff can destroy the nests of protected species just so he can make more money from his shoot. If I collected a Buzzards egg I would go to prison, and rightly so.

[JeffG]

is darts a sport?

No, it is a game.

Is it in the Olympics? Pretty much everything else is.

[Penelope]

And a minister flip flops an another issue, where's the surprise.

[DPK]

This is rather interesting ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/geor...nclosure-quarry

[On the edge]

Yes, how dreadful. How dare he run his business in an effective way. Why oh why is he protecting local employment? David Cameron must have taken leave of his senses appointing someone to the Environment Ministry who actually knows something about it. What rubbish!! Should he not follow past tradition and simply wander round posing for the local press and keeping his trap shut?

[NWNREADER]

This is rather interesting ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/geor...nclosure-quarry

Is it? It wasn't the first time it was posted, and the author remains so biased his objectivity is more than a little suspect.....

[Cognosco]

Yes, how dreadful. How dare he run his business in an effective way. Why oh why is he protecting local employment? David Cameron must have taken leave of his senses appointing someone to the Environment Ministry who actually knows something about it. What rubbish!! Should he not follow past tradition and simply wander round posing for the local press and keeping his trap shut?

So are those who appose it wrong when they are stating it would ruin the local flora and fauna and scupper the long made plans for a natural habitat etc.? Does he know more about the environment than you could put on the back of a postage stamp? Would you or I be able to get permission for a project such as this? Is there no doubt there is not a clash of interests involved here?