Bay MP Adrian Sanders Criticises Badger Cull

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay has voiced his extreme disappointment with the recent announcement that a badger cull is to take place.

"No one should underestimate the cruel impact of TB in cattle or in badgers, and its emotional and economic effects on farmers, but any response must be based on science and the Government has failed to take on the advice from research conducted by the Independent Scientific Group (ISG).

This found that "Given its high costs and low benefits we… conclude that badger culling is unlikely to contribute usefully to the control of cattle TB in Britain, and recommend that TB control efforts focus on measures other than badger culling."

The ISG instead called for a more cattle focused approach to dealing with the spread of the disease which Adrian supports. The need for a cattle based approach is strengthened by estimates that badgers are only responsible for 30-40 percent of cattle TB. The reason for the spread and increase of the disease is instead more likely to be because of a relaxation of cattle testing, less regulation concerning slaughter and movement and an intensification of dairy farms.

Adrian said "I regret that the Government have reached this decision which I believe will not have the desired results of stopping the spread of TB, but instead will lead to the loss of life of badgers and potentially other innocent creatures, such as domestic cats, if as a leading farmer in Devon has suggested armed groups will work at night."

Adrian pledged to join others in persuading the Government to return to the Coalition Programme for Government policy that states no cull should take place unless the scientific evidence supports it.