Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Rural groups call for Brexit success
Despite “uncertainty”, rural groups call on politicians to put the election behind them and get on with making a success of Brexit
westminster support for shooting remains strong after the general election, as more than 40 per cent of the new house of commons have voiced support for the sport, while rural groups have pledged to help the minority government through “uncertain” times to get the best result for the countryside.
the Basc election website has shown that 262 MPS (40.3 per cent) in the new house of commons have made public statements in support of shooting. those opposed to the sport represent just 2.3 per cent — 15 MPS in all. the views of the remaining MPS are either neutral or unknown.
this will be welcome news for shooters as rural groups now call on these MPS to end the uncertainty over Brexit plans and get on with the job of making the uk’s exit from the eu a success for rural communities.
Basc said that the hung Parliament has added “uncertainty to the political landscape”, promising to work with the new government to make sure that shooting’s “contribution to the health of the nation”, including the £2billion and 74,000 jobs that it adds to the uk economy, is protected going forward.
countryside Alliance chief executive tim Bonner described the countryside as “one of the few areas of stability” in the election, but that his organisation’s focus will now be “firmly on Brexit and the creation of a British agricultural policy”, which he said was “much complicated” by “political uncertainty and the huge complication of running a minority government.”
CLA president ross Murray echoed this sentiment, saying: “this result adds further uncertainty to a period of significant upheaval. the cla’s top priority is the interests of the tens of thousands of farmers and other rural business owners that are getting on with their jobs today, while politicians manoeuvre and negotiate.
“Immediate attention will inevitably be on the implications of this result for securing a Brexit deal that will work in the longterm interests of agriculture and the wider economy. we remain confident that the right deal can be done.”
National Farmers’ union president Meurig raymond likewise called for “clarity and certainty” as soon as possible over who will govern the country and how they plan to support profitable, productive and progressive agriculture and horticulture in the future.
“we will continue to push for the right post-brexit trade deal, regulatory framework, a domestic agricultural policy suited to Britain and access to a competent, reliable workforce,” he added.
“Just 2.3 per cent of the House of Commons opposes shooting”