Online critics force shepherd to quit parks review panel

A CUMBRIAN sheep farmer dubbed “Twitter’s favourite shepherd”, has quit a major government review of England’s National Parks, blaming the “cretinous” objections of fringe conservationists.

James Rebanks told The Daily Telegraph that he resigned from the panel, set up by Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, just three days after agreeing to the role when he faced a barrage of online criticism from “a small minority of conservationists” who objected to including a sheep farmer in the review.

Mr Rebanks, a Herdwick shepherd whose family have worked the land for 600 years, rose to international prominence after he opened a Twitter account in 2012 to document life on his farm. The farmer says he has an “excellent relationship” with the major conservation bodies, but blamed “extreme environmentalists” for his decision.

Some conservationists said the panel was dominated by farming interests and seemed set to reject the idea of ‘rewilding’ the countryside with endangered and extinct flora and fauna.