38 Degrees Petition etc.
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I have discovered that there is a new campaign on 38 degrees called ‘Rule Breaking and Lethal Hedgehog Traps – Michael Gove Ban them’:
https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/hedgehog-traps-speakout-24-04
I don’t totally understand it, but it is to do with emailing Michael Gove. With a target of 50,000.This is in addition to the 38 Degrees Petition: Withdraw UK approval of the A24 trap used in New Zealand to kill hedgehogs https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/our-hedgehogs-need-help
which has now reached over 200,000 signatures. I thought the original target was 200,000 but it now says of 300,000 not sure what is happening there.Hi Nic,
Great news that it’s reached over 200,000, it had slowed up for a while.
I don’t totally understand this new campaign either, other than to bombard Michael Gove into taking notice…email sent!I’m happy to support whatever petitions are around on this – and will follow the above link now also – however – what link does Michael Gove have to this? (apologies for my ignorance). Shouldn’t our Hedgehog Species Champion – Chris Grayling be doing more? or at least discussing with Michael Gove if he is the chap to get something escalated on this?
If Chris Grayling isn’t robustly taking any interest in hedgehog matters – is he the right person for the job? its great to have a title for something but if not doing anything with it – becomes part of the problem himself surely?Hi Jan-Marie,
I expect they are targeting Michael Gove as he is the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs and oversees DEFRA.
In 2016, just after Chris Grayling had been made Transport Secretary, I wrote him a letter asking for an official Department for Transport hedgehog crossing sign to be made available. This was after our local council said that they could not provide one, because there wasn’t an official one available. I didn’t expect much and the reply that I received stated that it would not be possible, as hedgehogs did not pose a hazard to motorists. I thought that this was rather odd, as frogs and toads have their own crossing signs and I don’t recall any incidents of rampaging amphibious mobs attacking vehicles! Anyway, after public pressure, he’s actually done it; Mr Grayling has introduced an official crossing sign for our beloved hedgehogs. So in answer to your question, yes, in my book he’s the right man for the job.
I know that we are all busy and that it’s an inconvenience to write a letter, but it just goes to show that if enough of us do it, we can actually achieve something.
Hi Penny,
I take your point – maybe I’m a bit of a purist – but if Chris Grayling were a true Species Champion for the hedgehog I would have expected him to have identified a need for and suggested a hedgehog crossing sign were needed.
His response to my letter to him on the trap petition was that he ‘wasn’t keen’ on the trap himself, but needed to see how it went – does he mean in terms of wiping out hedgehog populations before he commits to taking action?
Thanks for clarification on Michael Gove’s role – I’ve signed up to the letter through the link.Hi Jan-Marie,
Hmmm…I see what you mean, not a great response from our Species Champion, no wonder you’ve got your reservations. The problem is, ‘the powers that be’ are in a difficult situation, someone has made a calamitous decision to licence these dreadful traps and they don’t want to end up with egg on their faces. I suppose he doesn’t want to be seen criticising another government department. It was never going to be easy to get them to back-track and if over 200,000 signatures doesn’t do it now then I don’t know what will!
Nic,
I think 38 degrees petitions (along with other campaigning groups like Avaaz) automatically increase the target once the previous one is reached.
The logic being that if a target is reached, that acts as a disincentive for people coming to it afterwards, so by increasing the target there’s always an incentive to sign it. 200,000 sounds a lot but it is only 0.3% of the UK population of 65m people.
Thanks Phil1. That’s solved that mystery then! I wondered whether it was something like that. Do you know whether, or when, there is a cut off point when they ‘deliver’ any petition?
Nic,
That’s a good question. I looked at the 38 degrees FAQ here and it suggests that the petition is handed in when the organiser decides. So, in the case of the second link you posted (the one with 200 000+ signatures) that would be “John Turner” (but probably not the John Turner who used to be my boss!!). I would hope/expect that any signatory to the petition would be able to contact him via the 38 Degrees web site, so maybe you could ask him for an update. Having never started a petition on 38 Degrees, I have no idea how clear the petition starters “responsibilities” are made. I also imagine that petitions simply languish if the starter feels it hasn’t generated enough signings. So John Turner may (a) have a number in mind that he wants to get to and is waiting for it to reach it (b) simply not realised that he has to deliver the petition to someone (c) already delivered it and is awaiting a response or (d) fallen off a cliff …
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