Licence to kill

The Scottish Government has yet again shown its true colours on the balance between animal welfare and financial gain with new plans to issue licensing guidelines on killing birds of prey.

While there is no doubt that, in some instances, certain species need to be controlled, it is appalling that the government would consider allowing landowners to kill raptors simply because they are preying on game birds being reared for commercial shooting and, therefore, economic gain.

We must not be fooled into thinking these guidelines are for conservation purposes but are, instead, a smokescreen to allow landowners to manage their estates for a single species, which is reared in massive quantities to be shot by paying guns.

The SNP was the only party not to include animal welfare in its manifesto and it's time it started to consider this rather than treating our wildlife as a disposable commodity.

LOUISE ROBERTSON

League Against Cruel Sports

Limekilns, Fife