Badger cull update – parliamentary debate scheduled for 25 October

Its success means that MPs now have parliamentary time for a debate on 25 October, where they will also be asked to vote on the following motion:

That this House recognises that significant, independent scientific research has demonstrated that culling badgers will have little effect on reducing the rate of bovine TB; acknowledges that culling may even exacerbate the problem; notes that the e-petition against the current plans for culling passed in a very short period of time the 100,000 figure required to make it eligible for debate in Parliament and that it continues to attract impressive levels of support from members of the public; calls on the Government to stop any planned or present culling of badgers; and further calls on the Government to introduce a vaccination programme alongside a comprehensive biosecurity policy with immediate effect.

The Green Party’s Caroline Lucas will be one of the MPs speaking at the debate. She will call for the pilot culls to be halted and for alternatives like vaccination to be the priority in the fight against bovine TB.

Even if the vote is won, however, the government may still permit the cull to go ahead. In those circumstances, the already weak case for culling would be weakened further.