Wild Justice petition shot down in Parliament

Wild Justice’s petition to ban driven grouse shooting faced overwhelming opposition in Parliament on 30 June, with all but one MP standing up for the practice during a Westminster Hall debate.

The petition, signed by over 104,000 people, claimed grouse shooting was bad for wildlife and “economically insignificant,” but MPs from across the political divide weren’t buying it.

Labour’s Dr Sam Rushworth, who previously worked for an animal welfare charity, gave a strong defence. He pointed out that 500 jobs in his constituency depend on grouse shooting, calling it “insulting” to dismiss workers’ wages as unimportant.

Former PM Rishi Sunak knocked down stereotypes about toffs in tweeds, warning a ban would hurt “ordinary working people – the farmer’s wife who goes beating so that her family can make ends meet”.

The facts back up the sport. Grouse shooting brings £23m annually to Scotland’s economy and supports 3,000 full-time jobs nationwide. Environmental benefits include 27,000ha of peat restoration and bird populations five times higher on managed moors.

Only Sheffield Hallam’s Olivia Blake opposed the sport but couldn’t offer proper alternatives when challenged.

BASC’s Christopher Graffius said the debate “exposed the weakness” of anti-shooting campaigners, while the Countryside Alliance declared the petition “annihilated”.

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