Badger © Andrew Parkinson/2020VISION
Write to your MP about the badger cull
Will you stand up for badgers?
Like you, we're devastated by the recent Government announcement of the largest ever badger cull. But the fight isn't over yet, and we must keep the pressure on.
By writing to your MP or meeting them in person, you can help them to understand how you feel about the badger cull. Hearing directly from constituents is essential. You may have contacted them about this issue before, but you don't have to let it go. You can contact them again to let them know about your objections, and even request to speak in person.Â
Below we've gathered some talking points that you may want to use to structure a letter, email, or in-person conversation.Â
Writing to or meeting with your MP
MPs want to know what it is you care about. Not only do they want to hear from you, they have a duty to listen - their job is to represent you in Parliament!
Writing to your MP is a great way to show them that wildlife and strong environment laws are important to the people they represent. You can also encourage them to speak up for strong environment laws and champion ambitious measures to create a #WilderFuture! If you feel able to, you could also request a meeting in person with your MP.Â
Stop the Cull talking points
A badger cull is not necessary for the control of bovine TB
Even the government has acknowledged this. In March they pledged to invest in cattle vaccine and away from culling. The decision to expand yhe cull is total reversal of this position.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust leads the country’s most extensive vaccination programme, and yet the cull has been expanded to include Derbyshire.
80% of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s badger vaccination farms/sites will not be eligible for no-cull buffer zones around them. Vaccinated badgers could well be killed and farmers and landowners are already pulling out of the vaccination programme to cull instead. This seriously threatens the governments stated aim of expanding badger vaccination programmes.
The cull will continue for four more years. This will have a devastating impact on local and national populations.
The cull allows for free shooting.
The British Veterinary Association recently reiterated its opposition to this practise. Many badgers can be injured but not killed and die lingering, painful deaths.
Who do I write to?
You can write letters to your MP’s local constituency office, or send an email to their constituency email address.
To find out who your MP is, and see their contact details, you can use this tool to enter your postcode and see who represents you:
Some MPs might not provide their constituency office address or email. In this case, write to their parliamentary office using their parliamentary email or House of Commons address.
Your MP’s House of Commons address will be:
[MP’s Name]
House of Commons,
London,
SW1A 0AA
MPs are very busy people, so don't be offended if they don't get back to you straight away.
How do I meet my MP?
Your best option for meeting your MP is to ask to meet them in your constituency. You may find it easiest to meet them during one of their constituency surgeries. This is when your MP meets their constituents to talk about things affecting them and for people to raise concerns about politics or local issues.
The first step for organising a meeting is to contact them or the people who work in their constituency office. You can find out who your MP is and their contact details by using this tool:
You can write to their constituency office by letter or email or call them on the number provided. If no contact details for their constituency is provided, simply write to the email address or call the number of their Parliamentary office. You could also write a letter requesting a meeting to this office - their Parliamentary address is:
[MP's Name]
House of Commons,
London,
SW1A 0AA
When you ask for a meeting, explain what you want to meet your MP about and offer some time(s) and date(s) you’d like to meet. You may have to be flexible about meeting - MPs often have very full diaries, but are very good about making time for everyone.
Don't forget to put your full postal address on anything you write to your MP so they know you live in their constituency.
How can I make my meeting effective?
MPs are friendly and open for a chat, but they are pressed for time so don't expect meetings to last too long. Generally appointments will last around 10-15 minutes - so make sure you've got your key messages ready.
You might find it helpful to prepare in advance and perhaps even rehearse what you want to say beforehand. It's also important to research who your MP is. Find out what they care about and whether or not they have taken an active interest in the environment before - that way you can go into the meeting fully prepared. You can find a lot of that information here.
Share your story:
MPs love personal stories. Share yours with them. Perhaps you have badgers visiting your garden? Maybe you're in an area that has now been announced in the latest cull expansion?
Have a clear ask:Â
To make your meeting as successful as possible, make sure you know what you're asking your MP to do.Â
Don’t worry if you’re not an expert:Â
It’s your MP’s job to listen to you and you will probably know far more than them - just be passionate about the issue.
Take a photo:
Ask your MP if you can take a photo with them - this is a great way to let others know that people have been speaking to them about nature’s recovery, and to encourage them to do the same. MPs often like the publicity too!
