Defra forced to admit ‘mistake’

Posted on the 19th May 2011

In recent weeks, Defra announced that it cannot ban the use of wild animals in circuses because of a lawsuit taking place in Austria. But according to The Guardian Jim Paice – Defra’s pro-hunt animal welfare Minister – has today (19th May) been forced to admit that these legal proceedings don’t actually exist.

Damian Carrington’s environment blog says that Mr Paice took a ‘pasting’ in the House of Commons as MPs lined up to take potshots at him. Carrington writes: ‘Then, weirdly, he said, if you don’t like the idea of elephants and lions performing in circuses, don’t go. My Twitter follower, epocaclypse says: “That’s like saying if you don’t like famine don’t watch the news.” Quite.’

The ‘legal proceedings’ that Defra is hiding behind may be brought in the future but are not relevant now. Says MP Mary Creagh of this fiasco, “It’s an all-singing, all-dancing disaster from the worst performing department in Whitehall.”

Email Defra now to demand an immediate end to the use of wild animals in circuses.