Anti-badger cull protest took place today outside Westminster

Politicians, celebrities and the public gathered in Westminster today to protest against the continuation of badger culling in Britain. 

The speeches were led by Queen guitarist Dr. Brian May, who gave a stirring talk against the government’s policy of culling badgers in order to try and prevent the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis.

He began the speech by saying: “Today we raise our voices in disgust and outrage,” and continued to denounce the government  for “pursuing a policy of murdering British badgers”.

May went on to say the culling of badgers had already been declared “inhumane and ineffective” by independent scientific investigators. He argued the government were only continuing the cull to appeal to National Farmer’s Union voters, ignoring the welfare of the majority of farmers.

Moral, scientific and economic arguments were made against the current policy, with speakers instead calling for further investigation into prevention and vaccination.

Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour MP Angela Smith and Lush ethical director Hilary Jones were also among the influential names speaking out against the culling of badgers.

Both Caroline Lucas and Angela Smith pledged the support of their respective parties in ending the badger cull, with Lucas promising: “We are never going to give up”.

Around 200 members of the public attended the protest, looking angry and holding some placards.

Georgia Newman and Georgia Locock, both 16, had travelled up from Litchfield in order to attend the event today. They felt passionately about environmental causes and said that they were at the protest in order to “speak for those that have no voice”.

It wasn’t just students that cared about the cause.

Marketing Director John had run down between meetings in order to attend the event, as he felt strongly about the immorality and inefficiency of the current method of controlling Bovine TB.

He says the shooting of badgers was actually spreading the disease further, as it caused them to scatter and therefore reach new areas where they wouldn’t normally go.

It has also cost the government £15 million so far, which is much more than first predicted and makes it a more expensive method than vaccination overall.