Rishi has defended grouse shooting, emphasising its vital role in both the rural economy and environmental conservation.
In a debate in Westminster, Rishi expressed his firm support for the benefits it brings to rural communities and the broader UK landscape.
Rishi highlighted the significant economic contribution of grouse shooting, which supports over 2,500 direct jobs and generates millions of pounds in wages.
On environmental concerns, Rishi defended the role of grouse shooting in maintaining and regenerating moorland ecosystems. He argued that without the financial investment from shooting estates, valuable habitats like heather moorland would be at risk of degradation.
He also praised the conservation efforts of gamekeepers, who help protect endangered species such as curlew, lapwing, and merlin.
Rishi urged the government to reject calls for a ban on grouse shooting, warning that such a move would harm both the rural economy and biodiversity. He called for continued collaboration with the grouse shooting industry to preserve the UK’s natural heritage.
Rishi stressed that the practice benefits a wide range of industries from B&Bs, pubs, and shotgun manufacturers, creating a ripple effect that reaches every corner of the country.
Mr Sunak challenged the thinking that the only people who would suffer from a ban would be rich men in plus fours with port-faced complexions.
He stated: “The real victims of any ban would not be caricatures, but ordinary working people: the farmer’s wife who goes beating at the weekend so that her family can make ends meet; the young man able to earn a living, in the community that he loves, as an apprentice to a gamekeeper; or the local publican welcoming shooting parties with cold ales and warm pies.
“Let us be absolutely clear that those who support a ban on grouse shooting should only do so if they are prepared to look those people in the eye and explain to them why their livelihoods are worth sacrificing.”
He added that any ban “would be a case of a small section of urban Britain imposing its views on rural Britain, and that is not right.”
The debate stemmed from a petition, signed by over 104,000 people, calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting, which claimed it was “bad for people, the environment and wildlife” and “economically insignificant”.
However, the response from Mr Sunak, amongst other MPs, rejected the petition’s claims, reaffirming the importance of grouse shooting for both the rural economy and conservation efforts.
The petition will not progress further, with the Minister for Food Security and Rural affairs, Daniel Zeichner, confirming that no plans for a ban on grouse shooting are being taken forward by the government.
