Press Association.
Rock star Brian May has renewed calls for the
Government to abort plans to cull thousands of badgers in the bid to
tackle bovine TB.
If successful, the Government plans to roll out culling more widely in hot spots for the disease - which can be transmitted from badgers to livestock and between cattle. But experts, including scientists behind the long-term trial, have raised concerns that the policy will have "unimpressive" results in reducing TB and suggested that it does not make economic sense.
Mr May, a long-time supporter of the campaign to spare badgers from execution, said: "The great bit of new information is it has now been demonstrated that the cull cannot make economic sense. It will lose the taxpayer money rather than save it. That was really the last shred of reason that you could give for this cull going ahead. It is a very good time for Mr Cameron to reconsider and withdraw from this monstrous cull, in the public interest."
The pilot culls aim to ensure free-running badgers can be killed humanely, with marksmen observed by independent experts to check they are killing the protected animal swiftly, and post-mortem examinations carried out to assess speed of death. The pilots will also assess whether sufficient badgers can be killed in an area to have an effect in reducing TB in cattle, following a long-term study which found that culling 70% of badgers in an area could reduce the disease in herds by 16%.
The Government said the cull is necessary as part of efforts to stop increasing outbreaks of TB in dairy and beef herds, which saw 28,000 cattle slaughtered in England last year. Without action, infection and costs would continue to soar, officials said.
Labour, which opposes the Government-sanctioned plan, have tabled an Opposition Day debate for Wednesday.
Mr May said: "It would be very rude of the Government to start a cull when there is a major debate coming up. Our point is to save wild animals from abuse and there is no doubt this cull is going to cause intense pain on a massive scale to badgers. You cannot call it humane, which is apparently what these pilot culls are about. It has become increasingly apparent to me that, although we call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, we treat them appallingly."
A poll released on Friday revealed that the public is divided on the issue of culling, with around a third (34%) opposing the policy, and almost as many (29%) backing it. The remainder of those questioned did not know or had no strong views on a cull.
The British Veterinary Association, which is supporting the cull, urged protesters not to hinder the pilot schemes, so information could be gathered by independent experts to assess if shooting free-running badgers could be done humanely. Nigel Gibbens, the Government's chief veterinary officer, told Sky News how badgers would be killed "quickly, without causing suffering".