The Badger Trust wins right to appeal
The Badger Trust has been been granted the right to appeal against the High Court ruling in July that judged Defra's planned badger cull in England to be lawful.
Lord Justice Laws granted the appeal on only one of the three ground requested by the Trust and has agreed to expedite the appeal hearing, following concerns from Defra that the hearing will delay the proposed schedule for the culls.
In the High Court hearing on 12 July, Mr Justice Ouseley ruled in favour of Defra, dismissing the Badger Trust's case that the planned cull was unlawful on all three grounds. The Trust then lodged a written appeal on all three grounds, but Lord Justice Laws granted permission for an appeal on Ground One only.
Announcing that he had granted the appeal, Lord Justice Laws acknowledged that Mr Justice Ouseley was ‘probably right’ in his decision on this ground but added that ‘the point is arguable and the issue important’.