Government explores possibility of gassing badgers

Owen Paterson confirmed the government is exploring the possibility of gassing badgers in a bid to eradicate bovine TB.

Responding to a question asked by Green MP Caroline Lucas in the House of Commons debate, Mr Paterson said they wouldn’t consider gassing badgers unless it was proven to be safe, humane and effective.

He later called for anyone with evidence of people gassing badgers should hand it over to the police because any random cull would worsen the spread of Bovine TB.

Mr Paterson, in response to his critics, said: “Labour Members need to recognise that we cannot sit around as they did, waiting for a new tool to arrive. We have to use the existing tools, which have effectively reduced the disease in other more sensibly run countries.”

There was some support for Mr Paterson in the Commons from Conservative MP for Tewkesbury, Laurence Robertson, who thanked the Secretary of State “for being the first in over a generation to tackle this issue”.

You can read the full transcription of the debate online

You might also find these stories interesting:
Injunction granted against badger cull protesters
Antis threaten to name badger cull shooters after hoax calls