Arlene joins guitarist Brian May to ‘Stop the Badger Cull’

Arlene joins guitarist Brian May to ‘Stop the Badger Cull’

"The British government is giving in to pressure from farmers, rather than using the best scientific advice to stop badgers spreading TB to cattle," said Local Labour Euro MP, Arlene McCarthy, joining Queen star Dr Brian May, on his visit to the European Parliament as part of his campaign to stop the British government's badger cull.

Brian May, campaigning alongside the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups, came to Brussels on Thursday (11 October) to get support for a ban on British farmers killing badgers, and to press for measures towards an EU approved vaccination.

A British government pilot scheme allowing certain farmers to "free shoot" badgers in prescribed areas was set up on Monday 17 September.

Arlene said "I fully understand the desperation of farmers affected by this devastating disease. TB in cows is a terrible disease that needs to be controlled, but this cull isn't the way to do it.

"Vaccination rather than shooting has already been shown to significantly reduce the disease in the badger population. It's more sustainable and humane. Even the former coalition government Defra minister said that vaccination is the best long term approach to tackle the disease.

"There's been recent British research on cattle vaccines and Labour MEPs will work hard to put pressure on the European Commission to speed up the process to allow the use of new vaccines.

Lord Krebs, the Oxford scientist who instigated the previous Labour government's scientific trial, has described the government's cull as "a crazy scheme."

"If the cull wipes out whole badger populations, this would put the UK in breach of the Berne Convention on wildlife protection as it is a protected species under both European and UK law," continued Arlene.

"I completely support the campaigners on this issue and ask friends to join our campaign with Brian May online."