Labour warned Sadiq Khan’s ‘vote winner’ rewilding claims are divisive in the countryside

The Countryside Alliance has warned the Labour Party against “falling into the trap” of “imposing urban-centric policies” in rural areas after London Mayor Sadiq Khan said beavers should be released across the country under a Labour government.

Mr Khan’s comments came after the Environment Secretary, Therese Coffey, said her department would not be prioritising beaver releases.

The Countryside Alliance has warned Labour’s leadership that species reintroduction, also known as rewilding, is a divisive issue in the countryside after the Mayor claimed it would be a “vote winner” for his party.

Beavers became extinct in the UK in the 16th century. Advocates for their reintroduction claim they help with flood management and improve biodiversity. However, farming groups argue beavers could have potentially serious implications on farmland, such as by blocking land drains in lowland arable areas. Additionally, angling groups claim reintroducing beavers would not only threaten fisheries but exacerbate the poor ecological conditions of the majority of rivers. Furthermore, beavers can spread fatal diseases and destroy infrastructure, including food defence assets, roads, and railways.

Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Khan said:

“I was disappointed when I heard Thérèse Coffey say what she said recently in relation to her lack of priorities to rewilding. I’m disappointed that they’re not bringing beavers back,” the mayor told the Guardian.

“They know the evidence about beavers, helping protect ecosystems, and one of the points I’m saying to the Labour team nationally, is not only is this the right thing to do for our environment, for our communities, it is a vote-winner – a no-brainer.”

On rewilding, he added:

“What’s exciting is you can … say to people, listen, we’re the party bringing forward policies to rewild, to have more greenery, it gives you another reason to vote for us in the next general election.”

But Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said:

“For quite some time now, the Alliance has been warning the Labour Party about falling into the trap of pursuing and imposing urban-centric policies at the expense of rural communities.

“While urban-based politicians might take a romantic, hedonistic view of expanding greenery, rewilding has become a divisive issue in the countryside, largely because its advocates show little to no regard for those living and working on the land where they propose species be introduced. While controlled, small-scale introduction projects for some species like beavers may have some benefits, proposing an unregulated, mass sanctioning of their release across the countryside could cause turmoil”.

“Rewilding might be a fun pet project for the Mayor of London, but it will have catastrophic consequences if isn’t tightly controlled and those that live on the ground aren’t fully consulted. There must also be an exit strategy for when something goes wrong”.

Earlier this month, Khan released two beaver kits into the Paradise Fields nature reserve in Ealing, west London. Though they will remain in an enclosure, he has said he hopes they can improve biodiversity there and bring locals closer to nature.

In 2022, Mr Khan awarded £600,000 as part of the Rewild London Fund after a pair of beavers were released in Forty Hall Farm, Enfield. However, one male soon died of natural causes and a second male replacement also died, despite Enfield Council not confirming this until some several months later. The original female was later 'removed'.

A second attempt, at the same site in Enfield, saw two new beavers introduced that resulted in the historic birth of a kit.

Rewilding advocacy groups in the UK have called for a number of species to be introduced including lynx, bison, wild boar, wolves, and even bears.