Following widespread speculation, reports of emerging complications, and hints by government officials, Environment Minister Owen Paterson announced in Parliament on Tuesday (23rd October) that the English Badger Cull has been delayed for another year.  

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The cull was set to begin over the next few days in trial areas of Somerset and Gloucestershire, but the government was forced to slam on the breaks after revelations about badger numbers led farmers on the ground to panic about spiralling costs and the feasibility of killing enough badgers in the cull areas before the closed period when badgers breed. The cull plans form part of Defra’s bovine TB policy; the number of new cases of the disease has doubled every nine years in England, though scientists and wildlife groups have said that stricter cattle measures and vaccination would have more of an impact than culling, with none of the adverse effects.

After speculation over the cull reached fever pitch on Tuesday, the environment minister was forced to return from a trade mission to France to address the House of Commons and announce the cull had been postponed. Commentators had suggested the cull was unworkable and would be halted as early as Thursday 18th October, when Defra sources suggested an announcement was imminent, only to reverse their position hours later.

Parliamentary address

Addressing MPs assembled in the Commons, Mr Paterson said, "The National Farmers’ Union has taken the lead on behalf of the farming community to plan and organise the culls, ensuring contractors are properly trained, and I have been immensely impressed by the commitment and determination in the two cull areas." He also thanked the police for their support, after cull plans sparked one of the largest animal rights movements since fox hunting was banned in the UK, with some activists threatening peaceful direct action to derail culling in the 'trial areas'.

However, he went on to blame the weather and police for the postponement. Paterson said, "The exceptionally bad weather this summer has put a number of pressures on our farmers and caused significant problems… Protracted legal proceedings and the request of the police to delay the start until after the Olympics and Paralympics have also meant that we have moved beyond the optimal time for delivering an effective cull.  We should have begun in the summer."

The revelation last week that, following a Defra-funded assessment of badger numbers in the cull spots, there are twice as many badgers as had been stated in landowners’ estimates sparked questions over the costing and feasibility of delivering a cull. In order to achieve the desired effect, over 70 per cent of badgers would have to be killed in cull areas, however, with estimated badger populations of 3,600 for Gloucestershire and 4,300 for Somerset, this would be a phenomenal task.

Paterson lamented that, "Despite a greatly increased effort over the last few days and weeks, the farmers delivering this policy have concluded that they cannot be confident that it will be possible to remove enough badgers based on these higher numbers and considering the lateness of the season.  It would be wrong to go ahead if those on the ground cannot be confident of removing at least 70 percent of the populations." and said, to the sound of laughter from the house, "I have received a letter from the President of the NFU, on behalf of the companies coordinating the culls, explaining that farmers on the ground feel they cannot go ahead this year and request that culling be postponed until next summer."

He added that "There is no change to government policy. We remain absolutely committed to [culling] and the wider TB eradication programme."

Shadow environment secretary denounces government as "incompetent"

In response to the announcement, Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh said, "Another day, another U-turn. The government handling of the cull has been incompetent and shambolic and it is right that it has been delayed." 

She listed the opinions of a number of eminent scientists who have spoken out against culling in recent weeks and pointed out that the government’s own chief scientist John Beddington had refused to endorse the cull. Ms Creagh asked for clarification over whether the postponement was a temporary measure, or whether the government would use the delay to kick another unpopular policy "into the long grass" to save face. The shadow secretary concluded that the government "Should have made policy based on the evidence instead of twisting the evidence to fit their policy."

On Friday 19th October, NFU president Peter Kendall said the union, which was involved in last minute talks with the government, who were also keen to avoid another U-turn on the back of a series of disastrous policy decisions since coming to power in 2010, was "Working bloody hard to make sure this is deliverable." He added, "The latest numbers are making this more challenging but, before this starts, we have got to be very confident that we are going to deliver."

In a surprise development which complicated matters for the struggling government departments working on the policy, the Badger Trust served cull licensing body Natural England with a 'pre-action protocol letter' on Sunday, requesting responses to concerns outlined by the Trust. Although the Badger Trust had lost a legal challenge against the cull earlier in the year, the charity is pursuing legal action once more in a bid to halt culling, which it maintains will be inhumane and ineffective.

Peter Jones, President of the British Veterinary Association, commented on Tuesday, "The cull is being delayed due to questions surrounding the logistics of delivery. The science has not changed. Scientists agree that culling badgers does reduce the levels of infection in cattle herds, and we know that no country has dealt with bovine TB without tackling the disease in wildlife."

However, Gavin Grant, chief executive of the RSPCA said, "This is good news for badgers, cows, dairy farmers and animal lovers alike. Hopefully it marks the beginning of the end for these unscientific, foolish and cruel plans to cull badgers. We welcome this postponement, but this must not be a temporary reprieve, but must mark an end to all cull plans."

The badger cull will be the subject of a government debate on Thursday, after an e-petition opposing the policy gained 150,000 signatures in a matter of days.

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