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THIS IS SOMERSET Union's attack on cull protests

Amazing.

These people will stoop to anything.

Well .. we'd better make sure that in the next General election, the votes are counted on "Quality rather than Quantity".

What B.S. !!! And as for 'whipping up opinion' ... let's take a long look at the Farmers Weekly over the last few days, chaps.

Bri

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THIS IS SOMERSET
16 December 2010
Union's attack on cull protests

The RSPCA has been accused of using "X Factor style tactics" after the animal charity revealed it submitted nearly 40,000 objections to the badger cull consultation.

The National Farmers Union said the responses should be judged on "quality not quantity" and that the RSPCA had been "whipping up emotions" over the plans to halt bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle by culling badgers.

A public consultation into the proposals to cull and vaccinate badgers to control the disease in England closed last week.

The RSPCA said it replied with concerns that the plans would be "unlikely to work and could have severe welfare implications".

It has revealed that it enclosed nearly 40,000 petitions, messages and letters from the public "voicing their outrage about the plans".

David Bowles, RSPCA director of communication, said: "Once again, the public have shown their overwhelming opposition to this cull – they could not have made their views clearer.

"It is time for the Government to finally listen and act upon what they have to say."

NFU South West spokesman Ian Johnson said: "The trouble is that it is in the RSPCA's interests to try and play the numbers game. It's very easy to whip up the emotions of a great many people who feel concerned about culling any kind of animal.

"You may have a body of well-meaning people without full knowledge of what goes on in the wildlife of the countryside and with no direct contact with the disease and the turmoil and tumult it causes.

"The RSPCA do a great deal of very good work, but on this issue they have been extremely misguided and have employed X Factor style tactics of the 'we have more votes than you' kind.

"The outcome of the consultation may end up depending on whether the quality or the quantity of responses is considered."

The RSPCA is part of a coalition of animal welfare groups that has come together under the banner of the Badger Protection League to oppose the cull, with the backing of a number of high profile celebrities, headed by BBC naturalist Sir David Attenborough, actress Joanna Lumley and rock star Brian May.

The NFU claims to have found "overwhelming support for control measures".

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