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

Tom Hunt (Conservative) tells me:

Thank you for your email. Though not actively involved myself, coming from a rural community in Cambridgeshire I know many who are involved. I support the right of those wish to be involved to be involved. My answers to your questions are yes and yes.

Just fired off the e-mail to several candidates,let's see how many can be arsed to reply.

Jayne Shotton don't know what party. yes
Johnatthan Arnot don't know what party .NO

Robert Sturdy MEP tells me:

Thank you for contacting my office about the upcoming European elections and specifically your questions on shooting sports.

As the current Vice-President of the European Parliament Intergroup of Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity, Countryside Activities and Forestry, I strongly support shooting sports and outdoor pursuits.

Since joining the Parliament I have worked closely with the Intergroup as well as with FACE and the European Landowners’ Organisation, which represents hunting at an EU level.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to me and I encourage you to get out and vote in the European elections on May 22nd.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

Vicky Ford MEP Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the East of England UK Office tells me:

Yes, yes and yes. I am a firm supporter of country sports and hunting within the law and am already a member of the inter group. I enjoy fly fishing and am a member of the Countryside Alliance.

I have also been helping BASC and the countryside alliance in their campaign against a potential ban on lead shot. I believe that we will manage to stop such a ban provided that the UK sportsmen and women respect the current rules prohibiting use of lead shot over water. Evidence used by RSPB and similar organisations regarding lead shot focuses on the impact of wildfowl and aquatic birds, as well as research into lead poisoning in Condors. I don't see a lot of Condors in East of England...or indeed across Europe!! So I think we should be quite confident of winning that argument.

Many thanks for your email.

Vicky Ford

Just emailed my lot for the London area. The Greens are already down as antis - let's see if the rest reply.

So far I've had one reply from one Green, and a Labour candidate's put me on her spam list - which I think I''ll make a song and dance about, as I'm certain she isn't registered with the data protection people!

Other than that, no replies. Though I do know that UKIP's head of press joined BASC t'other day.

I listed all of the replies I received, not an outstanding success...

mr smith wrote:Just fired off the e-mail to several candidates,let's see how many can be arsed to reply.

So far only one reply from George Lyon MEP.

In respone to your questions the Liberal Democrats support shooting sports conducted according to law and best practise.In addtion,if elected,we would be happy to consider joining the European parliament intergroup for sustainable hunting,biodiversity,countryside activites and forestry.

I think out of the twenty odd candidates I emailed, I've had 6 responses and at least two of those where very anti!

To be honest, I think BASC have also let themselves down a bit too, the responses I forwarded on to their dedicated email address have had no acknowledgment and the status of the MEP on the website has remained as 'unknown'.

On the upside this little exercise has helped me decide who I'm going to vote for in May.