V for Vendetta

June 23, 2008 by Darren
Filed under: wild camping petition 

During the day I thought about tonight’s post, had it formed in my mind. Then something happens and it all changes. Sometimes that post thought of is used later, sometimes it never sees the light of day. It’s one of the things I love about blogging. Today is one of those days, except I know what I had been working on will see the light of day as it is the first part of the gear write up from this years TGOC.

So what has come along to change todays blog posting? The Government has responded to the petition to Legalise Wild Camping In England And Wales (official site here).

You will be reading the following in a few places on the blogs over the next couple of days I would imagine.

Read the Government’s response:

“This Government appreciates the potential benefits of wild camping in England and its attractiveness to campers who already have the opportunity to camp in the wild in Scotland.

The Land Reform Act in Scotland allows for wild camping, but the land issues and the legislation in England are somewhat different. The introduction of wild camping in England would be a controversial issue, which would require both significant consultation and legislative change.

On open access land wild camping is prohibited under Schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which lists all restricted activities. Therefore, new Regulations would be required to exclude wild camping as a restricted activity. Any change to the current rules on wild camping in National Parks and Ministry of Defence land would require new primary legislation.

The Government has no plans to allocate the necessary resources to consider proposals for such legislation at present, and is concentrating on following up the successful introduction of 750,000 hectares of open access land with new legislation on access to the coast in the Marine Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.”

Apparently people are waiting to hear my response.

Well did we expect anything different? You would like to think that the democratic system worked, and this e-petition was another way of demostrating it in practice. Let’s put that naivety to one side and listen to the cynical side instead.

When the response from the Minister is virtually the same as the one given at the start of the petition to John Manning (For an excellent anaylse of the reply and comparision to the initial one given in the early days pop on over to John’s blog and read “Feeling in-tent-sly let down!“). Which kind of says to the cynic in me that it didn’t matter how many signatures the petition got he would not of changed his mind. Did we really think we could change the mind of a Government that is financially and morally corrupt? Well that “Mr Smith Goes To Washington” part of me did. There has to be hope, and there still is.

I know that this response will make more people disillusioned with the political process. But don’t let it, it’s what they want, and how they win. With people going what’s the point, and giving up, nothing gets sorted, wrongs stay wrong. Yes it’s a set back, but there is still more we can do. There is an election on the horizon. Ask your candidates where they stand on the issue, and vote for those that support the same issues as you.

I had an email the other day from some-one who only stumbled across the petition after it closed and wondered why it had not been covered in the media better. Well it wasn’t for a lack of trying. But certainly places online and in print didn’t think the petition was news, and failed to report on it, let alone get behind the petition. They weren’t the only ones that didn’t get behind the petition some of the organisations that you would of thought would of didn’t either. These organisations don’t have an excuse that they didn’t know, as they were emailed about supporting the petition. If I belonged to these organisations, subscribed, read the magazines or websites, and supported the petition. I think I would be pretty pissed off and want to know why from these people that they didn’t.

The petition has come to an end with this reply. But the fight goes on. Discussions will take place and plans made. Have I got the stomach for a long battle?  Those that know me and what goes on behind the blog know that I do.

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Comments

10 Comments on V for Vendetta

  1. Robin Evans on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 8:14 pm

    2. Quite right, let’s keep going. There are other avenues to explore. I guess there’s nothing stopping a new petition requesting them to think again. The lack of support from the RA, BMC and certain magazines for whom “the most influential gear tester in the business” works has been disappointing to say the least, especially as they have an article on wild camping this month.

  2. Duncan/AktoMan on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 8:32 pm

    3. Who cares? It is only England & Wales. You can still wild camp in Scotland. Until those in the media stir it up by saying these car-camping neds are wild camping, and the government looks again at the legislation. Oh, then allows the Highland landowner to fence off large tracts of the countryside.

    In the meantime, you can go and dip your toes in the water. I’m sure a trip to the seaside will do something to reduce obesity. Another hot dog, Mister Creosote?

  3. George on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 8:32 pm

    4. [...But certainly places online and in print didn’t think the petition was news, and failed to report on it, let alone get behind the petition...]

    Name & shame ;-)

    [...If I belonged to these organisations, subscribed, read the magazines or websites, and supported the petition. I think I would be pretty pissed off and want to know why from these people that they didn’t...]

    So you cancelling your Backpacker’s Club membership? :-)

  4. George on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 8:38 pm

    5. [...Ask your candidates where they stand on the issue, and vote for those that support the same issues as you...]

    Mine DIDN’T response to 3 letters; 1 snail mail and 2 emails.

  5. Darren on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 10:40 pm

    6. George, I’ve only just joined! But I can ask questions as to why.
    Also read Robin’s comment if you want name and shame.

  6. George on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 11:16 pm

    7. [... But I can ask questions as to why...]

    :-) Unfortunately I think you will get the same response from the BPC as you’ve had from the others.

    I know that the BPC ran a piece in their magazine but this was after the petition closed, they were approached earlier (February) and their response was the same as others ‘don’t bring attention to wild camping’, ‘don’t rock the boat’,

    They could of got behind the campaign; even in a small way but chose not to, granted they haven’t the clout of the RA or BMC but it would of been good for an organisation that encourages backpacking and wild camping to help support it.

    To be honest it shows how little ‘these’ people care about wild camping in England & WALES that they aren’t willing to back it.

    I’ll still help out as long as we are campaigning but unfortunately we will be the same as the people who petitioned for Clarkson to be PM, or some 3rd rate footballer to have a statue erected.

  7. Darren on Tue, 24th Jun 2008 6:17 am

    8. George,
    I’ll email/call you about this one.

  8. Andy Howell 'The Blog Father' on Tue, 24th Jun 2008 9:06 am

    9. Campaigns are not petitions. Real campaigns start now. This will have been logged and registered by important campaign bodies such as the Ramblers. What we do now is the real question.

    I would advise not attacking this government. They have given us Access Legislation and now are extending it to cover the coast (in the recent Queen’s speech). We should be aiming at being the next part of the access story.

    Successful campaigns are hard fought over time. Successful campaigns are about building alliances and relationships.

    The petition has got this issue on the radar. The real campaigning work should start now. The question is: how do we get started?

  9. Duncan/AktoMan on Tue, 24th Jun 2008 9:36 am

    10. Didn’t Andy have a podcasted interview where all this was stated before it was writ by the PM’s office?

    I don’t think anyone was surprised yesterday. So, on to stage 2.

  10. Michael Winner on Tue, 24th Jun 2008 8:23 pm

    11. ” …a Government that is financially and morally corrupt”

    Well, that’ll get ‘em all on our side!!!

    Calm down dear!

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