Angry Peter posts pro-poison picket

PETER BROWN pickets Chris Davies’s office

A SILENT protest has been held outside the offices of Oldhamis Lib-Dem Euro-MP, Chris Davies, by angry Shaw molecatcher Peter Brown.

Mr Brown (55) says he has lost his business because EU rules have banned him from using strychnine to kill the animals. And he says the alternative permitted methods are not viable, although Mr Davies and his staff dispute this.

Mr Brown’s long campaign against the ban has failed and his more recent attempts to seek compensation for losing his livelihood have also met no success. He staged the protest outside the Davies office in Stockport because of the Euro-MP’s support for the ban. He was joined by activists from the UK Independence Party, which is supporting his fight.

Mr Brown, who was invited into the office after confronting Mr Davies on the doorstep, said later: “I’m now waiting to hear from them but, if no progress is made, I will be staging another protest outside his office and it won’t be silent.

“If it results in me being locked up for harassment so be it.

“I’ve been told that I’m not entitled to compensation, which seems totally unfair given that others, including French fishermen, received pay-outs after their livelihoods were harmed.“

Mr Davies said: “I spent 15 minutes with him and my assistant gave him facts and figures.

“Mr Brown wants strychnine back on the market, but it is one of the deadliest poisons known to mankind. We have mole catchers who don’t use strychnine. It is perfectly possible to use a humane mole catcher.“