The Badger cull review petition

Stop DEFRA’s Sham bTB Review – Remove Conflicted Panel Members Now

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Dear Professor Godfray and Minister Zeichner,

We, the undersigned, write to express our deep concerns over the current DEFRA review of bovine TB (bTB) control. This review, which is supposed to assess the latest science on bTB policy, has been compromised from the outset. Instead of an independent panel, DEFRA has once again appointed individuals with long-standing pro-culling positions—threatening the integrity of this process and undermining public trust in science-based decision-making.

Most notably, Professor Charles Godfray has been reappointed despite his documented history of supporting badger culling. His previous role in the 2018 bTB review directly contributed to the continuation of mass badger killing, a policy that has since failed to deliver any meaningful reductions in bTB rates. This alone raises serious concerns about impartiality.

In addition, this panel includes Oxford academics who have historically supported badger culling, including Bernard Silverman, a statistician tasked with reviewing work produced by his own university. This is not independent scrutiny—it is a clear conflict of interest.

A Review That Cannot Be Trusted
This latest review follows years of failed policy decisions based on biased, flawed science. For over a decade, DEFRA has ignored independent studies proving that badger culling is ineffective. The department has instead relied on advice from the very academics and industry insiders who were responsible for the initial push towards mass culling. This is unacceptable.

A truly independent review must exclude individuals with prior involvement in promoting badger culling, especially those who have a professional stake in the policy’s continuation. Without this, the conclusions of the panel will be seen as pre-determined, reinforcing the status quo rather than delivering an evidence-led approach.

Our Demands
To restore credibility to this review and ensure a fair assessment of bTB science, we demand the following actions:

1️⃣ Professor Charles Godfray must step down from the panel due to his prior involvement in justifying badger culling.
2️⃣ No Oxford academics should be involved in reviewing their own work.
3️⃣ No panel member should have a history of supporting badger culling or ties to DEFRA’s past failed policies.
4️⃣ Minister Zeichner must overhaul this panel and appoint a genuinely independent team of experts with no prior vested interests.
5️⃣ The Chief Veterinary Officer and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) must be held accountable for the continued push to scapegoat badgers rather than addressing cattle-based solutions.

The British public has already rejected dishonest policymaking on this issue—most recently forcing DEFRA to abandon the sham consultation on continued badger culling. If Labour is serious about a fresh approach, it must reject the same failed policies and advisors that have guided DEFRA for years.

This is a critical moment. If this review is allowed to proceed in its current form, it will lack all credibility and further entrench bad science in government decision-making. We urge you to take immediate action to correct this and ensure an honest, unbiased review that prioritizes real solutions—not entrenched interests.

We look forward to your response and to seeing these issues addressed as a matter of urgency.

Sincerely,

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Stop DEFRA’s Sham bTB Review – Remove Conflicted Panel Members Now

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