Animal welfare campaign group Wild Justice has been refused permission to open a judicial review of Natural England’s licensing of badger shooting. This follows their petition, which also called for an end to the shooting of badgers - the results of which are yet “to emerge”.
Describing the decision as a “grave disappointment”, the organisation quoted at length the opinions of the Hon Mr Justice Johnson, who ruled that “I do not consider that it is arguable that the Defendant [NE] has acted unlawfully,” adding “the Chief Scientist has rationally concluded that there is a high level of compliance with the Best Practice Guide.”