Former Badger Trust CEO stands for pro-badger cull party

Dominic Dyer, former Chief Executive Officer of the Badger Trust, is running in the 2024 general election as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Buckinghamshire and Bletchley.

Despite his tenure leading the Badger Trust for seven years, where he campaigned against badger culling, Dyer now represents a party that introduced and continues to support the badger cull, initiated during their coalition with the Conservative Party 11 years ago.

As noted by the Badger Trust¹, “The badger cull is not mentioned specifically in their [Liberal Democrats] manifesto other than “Developing safe, effective, humane, and evidence-based ways of controlling bovine tuberculosis”. However, Lib Dem candidates have confirmed that badger “culling would regrettably be part of our integrated strategy”.”

In contrast, the Green Party has pledged to actively campaign against badger culling, earning commendation from the Badger Trust. The Labour Party, while pledging in their manifesto to “end the ineffective badger cull,” has indicated a continuation of existing licenses until 2026, as confirmed by the Badger Trust.

Nevertheless, Dominic Dyer hit out at the Labour Party, stating, “Never in the history of wildlife protection has there been such a betrayal of trust. After 13 years of waiting for a Labour Government to stop this cruel madness, they are now planning to kill at least 30,000 more badgers.”

On July 4, 2024, Dominic Dyer finds himself at odds with candidates from both the Green Party and Labour Party, who have pledged to end the badger cull—albeit two years tardy in the case of the Labour Party. Should Dominic Dyer’s party triumph in the general election or enter another coalition with the Conservative Party, the badger cull will continue unabated.

Interestingly, the Liberal Democrat manifesto remains conspicuously silent on strengthening the Hunting Act—a point Dominic Dyer has noticeably avoided criticising. Never in the history of wildlife protection has there been such a betrayal of trust.