In government there are two reasons for holding a consultation. The first is to tick the necessary boxes on a policy that you have already decided to protect yourself from Judicial Review. The second is to justify reversing out of an ugly position that you have got yourself into. In the case of the Westminster government’s promised consultations on firearms licensing and trail hunting, the former case may well be true. However, a less prominent, but still important, consultation on the future of fishing in a Derbyshire lake seems to be designed to justify a policy U-turn.
You may remember the uproar at North East Derbyshire District Council’s decision to ban angling at the popular Wingerworth Lido purportedly to create a ‘biodiversity hub’. Thanks to determined local anglers and the Countryside Alliance the process that led to that decision was revealed to be illogical, undemocratic and flawed. The council has barely been out of the media for months as it first sought to justify its original decision and then row back from it. As part of its reverse ferret, the council has announced a ‘review’ of the original decision not to renew the lease of a local angling club and ban fishing on the lake. Then, on Monday, the council published a consultation asking residents for their opinions on the future of the lake.
We welcome this opportunity for the public to have their say on the on their future of the Lido and it is important that everyone, whether anglers or other members of the local community, take the opportunity to speak up. If you have an interest in Wingerworth the consultation can be found here.
This may sound like a minor issue that has little impact on fishing or the countryside as a whole, but if we stand by whilst angling is banned - for no reason other than the prejudice of politicians and campaigners - then we would allow a precedent which could have seismic impacts for all of us. Whether it is angling in Derbyshire, greyhound racing in Wales or trail hunting in Westminster, we must fight every battle against unjustified restrictions on our way of life.
Bigger challenges lie ahead in the very near future, both in terms of shotgun ownership and the future of hunting, and the Alliance is preparing itself for the battles ahead. We expect a consultation on firearms licensing and the government’s animal welfare strategy in the next few weeks and a consultation on trail hunting in the new year. There is no sign yet that the Labour government in Westminster is contemplating U-turns, but they will know perfectly well than any attempt to impose unjustified restrictions on our way of life will generate determined resistance from the Alliance and the many thousands of you who support us.