Shame over cost in lives of badger cull

I FIND it ironic that the British people, who are known in the main to be animal lovers, are spending their Friday evenings watching the secret lives of badgers and other burrowing wildlife in a superb BBC2 three- part production.

Meanwhile this Government is hell-bent on destroying 70 per cent of an unknown number of badgers in bTB hotspot areas with the full knowledge that this slaughter will only achieve a maximum of 16 per cent reduction in the cases of Bovine (not badger) TB over nine years of killing thousands of badgers. What about the other 84 per cent?

Having promised a cull of badgers in both parties’ manifestos, they have to be seen to be doing something. This something will injure and maim mostly healthy badgers due to any sick animals having been kicked out of the sett. They can be sick with Parva, Mange or bTb, but the ones at the bait areas will be healthy and many will be this year’s cubs. No account will be taken of those who will be injured; they will make their way back to their setts and die a lingering painful death.

There is never a mention of the thousands of cattle slaughtered prematurely due to mastitis, lameness, infertility or pure exhaustion from over milking; all these figures are swept under the NFU/Defra thick plush carpets. Farmers and landowners have been brainwashed into believing that killing badgers will solve the problem of bTB.

Do they read about the rogue farmers swapping ear tags to prevent a high yielder from being slaughtered too early due to infection?

Do they not know of rogue farmers illegally selling cattle without testing first?

Do they not know of the bTB test only being 84 per cent accurate and the number of cattle found at the abattoirs infected although tested? Read the science, farmers, and wake up to reality; do not believe the ill-informed propaganda fed to you.

Over 30 top European scientists have shown their outrage at this proposed slaughter of our wildlife but David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Owen Paterson have to show the farming community they mean business, whatever turmoil they will create in the shooting areas. The activists are ready and I am very afraid someone will be badly injured. Were I not arthritic and past my prime, believe me, I would be down there among them.

I am ashamed to be British as our Government shows disregard for the truth, and knows it is carrying out this atrocity purely for voting gain and money. Shame on them; they will never gain my vote.

Male fashion faux pas

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby,

A RECENT female correspondent in her 80s was critical that women today didn’t always dress as well as they could do. My amusement, however, this summer has been to see a lady elegantly clad in a summer outfit, walking alongside a male partner wearing shorts!

I think we males have become a little too fond of displaying flesh, especially if that flesh is covered in tattoos.

Matter of numbers

From: David Cook, Parkside Close, Cottingham, East Yorkshire.

I THINK all MPs should be made to look at a globe so they can see what a tiny an island we live on. They might then understand why the roads are so crowded, why there is such a desperate shortage of houses, why hospitals already cannot cope with the numbers and why train fares are set high enough to dissuade passengers using rail as a form of transport.

Too many people, quite naturally, want to live here. It is not a matter of colour, religion, class or occupation. It is purely a question of numbers. Sooner or later positive action must be taken. MPs of the three main parties seem terrified of even mentioning immigration least they are branded as racist. But sooner or later the issue will have to be faced before an already difficult situation becomes impossible.

Savers need succour

From: H. Marjorie Gill, Clarence Drive, Menston.

The recent speech by the Governor of the Bank of England was apparently designed to reassure business leaders that interest rates are here to stay forever and a day! Well not quite, but for poor people who rely on bank interest to live on this is woeful news indeed.

Perhaps someone should ask this august gentleman from Canada where those of us who rely on dividends from our savings should invest our money to get a decent living wage return.

Any fool knows that borrowers rely on savers to get the money to borrow. What happens if we all decide to take our money out of the banks and building societies and spend it then rely on a bailout from the Government?

Or perhaps go to live abroad where our money might go further? There must be many hard-working people seeing their cost of living soar whilst their savings are eroded who must feel absolutely gutted by the lack of sympathy for their plight.

So, Mr Governor, get your thinking cap on and tell us what to do and where to go to earn an honest crust.