Paul McCartney condemns 'cruel' proposals to bring back fox hunting

Friday 10 July 2015 11.42 BSTLast modified on Friday 10 July 201511.51 BST

Paul McCartney has issued a response to government proposals that could pave the way for the return of fox hunting.

On 9 July, the Conservatives published an amendment to the Hunting Act 2004 that – if passed by MPs in a vote on 15 July – would allow foxes to be hunted by packs of dogs in England and Wales, so long as it is “appropriate” for the terrain and done “efficiently” to protect other animals.

A statement from the musician, a longtime vegetarian and animal-rights activist, said that fox hunting was “cruel and unnecessary” and could cost the party support if the proposals were to go ahead:

The people of Britain are behind this Tory government on many things but the vast majority of us will be against them if hunting is reintroduced.

It is cruel and unnecessary and will lose them support from ordinary people and animal lovers like myself.

His sentiments echo those of Queen’s Brian May, who slammed pro-hunting activists on BBC’s Newsnight on 9 July. May criticised the Countryside Alliance, calling them “a bunch of lying bastards”.

Read on ...

Living legend Paul McCartney writes to Putin about Arctic 30

November 2013: Former Beatle Paul McCartney has written to President Vladimir Putin in a bid to try and help get the Greenpeace protesters, the Arctic 30, home with their families in time for Christmas.

The 30 (28 Greenpeace activists and two journalists) from 18 countries were arrested by Russia in September after taking part in a peaceful protest at Gazprom's oil rig to call attention to the threat of oil drilling and climate change, and have remained in jail in Russia ever since.

Paul says the president has not yet replied but the Russian Ambassador kindly responded saying that their situation ‘is not properly represented in the world media’. 

Dear Vladimir,

I hope this letter finds you well. It is now more than ten years since I played in Red Square, but I still often think about Russia and the Russian people.

Continued

Linda McCartney memorial wood is destroyed by disease

The wood planted by Sir Paul McCartney in tribute to his wife, Linda, has been ravaged by sudden oak death disease.

When hundreds of trees were planted in remembrance of Linda McCartney, it was hoped that they would grow to be a living and lasting memorial to the first wife of Sir Paul McCartney.

Now, however, all the larch trees in Linda’s Wood have had to be chopped down because of a deadly disease sweeping the country.

The trees were the victim of Phytophthora ramorum, or sudden oak death, which has jumped species and is infecting other trees including larch and the Douglas fir.

Linda’s Wood borders the 100-acre nature sanctuary St John’s Wood, which the couple bought in Somerset in 1990.

The trees were planted after the wife of the former Beatle died of breast cancer in 1998, aged 56. They included some of the New York-born photographer’s favourite species, such as the North American maple.

Read on:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9178489/Linda-McCartney-memorial-wood-is-destroyed-by-disease.html