The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I have had a couple more...

Thank you for your email.

I should apologies for the reply taking a little while - I have a full-time job running a business, minimal admin support from volunteers and a population larger than Austria from which I receive email.

I have not participated in shooting sports myself and am a card carrying 'townie', but as someone who is rather fond of game and venison in particular I am not about to be hypocritical! In fact 'wild' food killed by shooting is considerably more humane (and better tasting) than mass-produced agricultural produce.

So in terms of your specific questions:

I support the right of individuals to participate in shooting sports/hunting with firearms as conducted within the law of the member states and best practice.
If elected I will join the European Parliament Intergroup for Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity, Countryside Activities and Forestry as I believe the issues it covers are of considerable interest to a large number of my constituents.
I should add, for the sake of clarity, that I favour the tight controls on gun ownership that operate in the UK, in particular the ban on handguns introduced by the Labour Government. I see no contradiction between the operation of these controls and the legitimate operation of hunting/shooting within the law in the UK.

As for the view of my Party I would refer you to the manifesto for these elections which can be found at www.labour.org.uk.

I hope this gives you the information that you need.

Yours sincerely

John Howarth

Labour Candidate for the European Parliament
South East England



John Howarth
Labour Candidate for the European Parliament
South East England

Many thanks for your email to Keith Taylor MEP, who has asked me to respond on his behalf.

Keith is a member of the European Parliament's Intergroup for Animal Welfare and works hard to minimise animal suffering and to improve animal welfare laws. He does not agree with the practice of shooting and hunting animals for sport. Consequently, he will not join the Intergroup for Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity, Countryside Activities and Forestry if re-elected.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to Keith and please do not hesitate to be in touch if you have any further questions.

For more information about Keith's work as an MEP, please see his website at: http://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/

Kind Regards
Joanna


Joanna Sprackett
Parliamentary Assistant and Researcher

Please note that I work Monday-Thursday

Office of Keith Taylor MEP
Green Party MEP for South East England
The European Parliament
Rue Wiertz
1047 Brussels, Belgium
Brussels Tel: +32 2 284 5153 Fax: +32 2 284 9153
www.keithtaylormep.org.uk
Twitter: @GreenKeithMEP

Just had a reply from UKIP, I asked:

Do you support shooting sports conducted according to the law and best practice?

If elected will you join the European Parliament Intergroup for Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity, Countryside Activities and Forestry?

Dear Christel

Thank you for your email dated 8th May 2014.

I can confirm that we do strongly support shooting sports. Our current East of England MEP, Stuart Agnew, is a shotgun owner and has actively campaigned against the EU's efforts to involve itself in the manufacture of ammunition, which would make it much more expensive to buy. Our Party Leader has recently said in an interview that he believes that the ban on handguns should be lifted for 'responsible' owners who keep their guns in locked cabinets.

UKIP MEPs will vigorously oppose any further attempts by the unelected European Commission, to impose further legislative restraints upon responsible firearms owners in the UK.

Best wishes,

Stuart Gulleford

Regional Press Officer

UKIP - East of England


Office of Stuart Agnew MEP

UK Independence Party

145 New London Road

Chelmsford

Essex

CM2 0QT

Tel: 01245 266466

Fax: 01245 252071

Email: ukipeastadmin@intamail.com

http://www.stuartagnewmep.co.uk

http://www.ukip.org

Now, what I really would like is an individual answer from the 7 candidates that are up for election in my area.
I have asked for individual contact details. Only two can be found on the BASC election site and none on the UKIP site.

Stuart Agnew is a farmer, pro gun however he thinks that global warming is not man made.

christel wrote: however he thinks that global warming is not man made.

A view shared by a great many people, we didn't cause the last few ice-ages did we, yet they occurred following global warming. Could just be a natural cycle. Then again we've got to be causing some damage with the amount of cr@p we pump into the air we breathe and the water we drink. I suppose we'll find out one day

"Jean Lambert, Green party MEP: Against and does'nt consider shooting animals a sport."

Well actually, neither do I..............

H/man