This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/26/badger-cull-government-anti-science
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| In pursuing the badger cull, the government is being anti-science | In pursuing the badger cull, the government is being anti-science |
| (4 days later) | |
| The Tory-led government's controversial badger cull is set to begin on Monday night. Despite widespread protest and a national petition with more than 250,000 signatures, David Cameron is determined to push ahead. | The Tory-led government's controversial badger cull is set to begin on Monday night. Despite widespread protest and a national petition with more than 250,000 signatures, David Cameron is determined to push ahead. |
| This policy is completely out of touch. The public and scientists are united in their opposition. The cull flies in the face of the scientific evidence. | This policy is completely out of touch. The public and scientists are united in their opposition. The cull flies in the face of the scientific evidence. |
| In October 2012, an extraordinary coalition of leading scientists called on the government to stop the badger cull. They stated: "As scientists with expertise in managing wildlife and wildlife diseases, we believe the complexities of tuberculosis transmission mean licensed culling risks increasing cattle TB rather than reducing it." Lord Krebs, the eminent Oxford scientist who designed the Labour government's badger cull trials, described this cull as "mindless". | In October 2012, an extraordinary coalition of leading scientists called on the government to stop the badger cull. They stated: "As scientists with expertise in managing wildlife and wildlife diseases, we believe the complexities of tuberculosis transmission mean licensed culling risks increasing cattle TB rather than reducing it." Lord Krebs, the eminent Oxford scientist who designed the Labour government's badger cull trials, described this cull as "mindless". |
| Bovine TB is a terrible disease and has to be brought under control. In 2011, 26,000 cattle were slaughtered, costing us £90m in testing and compensation. This is a massive animal disease challenge. The pressure it puts on farmers and their families is chronic, intense and costly, both financially and emotionally. | Bovine TB is a terrible disease and has to be brought under control. In 2011, 26,000 cattle were slaughtered, costing us £90m in testing and compensation. This is a massive animal disease challenge. The pressure it puts on farmers and their families is chronic, intense and costly, both financially and emotionally. |
| Labour's badger culling trial – a £50m, 10-year study on whether culling badgers helps reduce bovine TB – concluded: "The reductions in cattle TB incidence achieved by repeated badger culling were not sustained in the long term after culling ended, and did not offset the financial costs of culling. These results … suggest that badger culling is unlikely to contribute effectively to the control of cattle TB in Britain." | Labour's badger culling trial – a £50m, 10-year study on whether culling badgers helps reduce bovine TB – concluded: "The reductions in cattle TB incidence achieved by repeated badger culling were not sustained in the long term after culling ended, and did not offset the financial costs of culling. These results … suggest that badger culling is unlikely to contribute effectively to the control of cattle TB in Britain." |
| Labour's approach in government was led by that science. We supported the development of a badger vaccine. Yet the government cancelled five of the six badger vaccine trials. | Labour's approach in government was led by that science. We supported the development of a badger vaccine. Yet the government cancelled five of the six badger vaccine trials. |
| A cull will be bad for farmers, bad for taxpayers and bad for wildlife. The government's own analysis says that it will cost more than it saves, put a huge strain on police given the expected protests, and will spread bovine TB in the short-term as badgers are disrupted by the shooting. | A cull will be bad for farmers, bad for taxpayers and bad for wildlife. The government's own analysis says that it will cost more than it saves, put a huge strain on police given the expected protests, and will spread bovine TB in the short-term as badgers are disrupted by the shooting. |
| The taxpayer-funded policing costs are £4m for just the two cull areas. If the cull is rolled out to 10 new zones each year, these costs will balloon. | The taxpayer-funded policing costs are £4m for just the two cull areas. If the cull is rolled out to 10 new zones each year, these costs will balloon. |
| To bring this disease under control, we need stricter management of cattle movements and to prioritise badger and cattle vaccination. We should be building alliances in the EU to get restrictions on vaccinating cattle lifted. | To bring this disease under control, we need stricter management of cattle movements and to prioritise badger and cattle vaccination. We should be building alliances in the EU to get restrictions on vaccinating cattle lifted. |
| The government should stop, listen to the scientific evidence and abandon the cull. Bovine TB is a terrible disease that must be stopped. This cull is not the way to do it. | The government should stop, listen to the scientific evidence and abandon the cull. Bovine TB is a terrible disease that must be stopped. This cull is not the way to do it. |