The Sportsman’s would like to pass this information on to all it’s members.

Please use the BASC service to ask about your sport.

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Wouldn’t it be great if there was a website somewhere where we could see if an MP or candidate was pro or anti shooting?

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation are building such a site now – but it needs your input. Campaigning for the general election has effectively begun already, and if you go to BASC General Election 2010 Page you will see a mechanism whereby you enter your postcode, then a list of the candidates in your constituency will be shown together with a form of letter you can e-mail to them (automatically) asking for their opinion on shooting. You can customise this letter if you like. When you get a reply, you can add it to the BASC database by sending a copy of your e-mail to them at election@BASC.org.uk.

This will have two effects:

• It will show the candidates that there are a lot of shooters in their constituency who may vote for a pro-shooting candidate.
• It will enable BASC to show other shooters in your constituency the attitudes toward shooting of those candidates.

There’s also some very good advice on the BASC page about contacting your MP or parliamentary candidate: to quote –

• Always be polite and reasonable however frustrated you feel – you’ll be more successful in lobbying candidates.
• Don’t hesitate to send a “thank you for being committed to shooting” message to supportive candidates – it’s important that they know there’s considerable support for shooting among their voters.
• Consider inviting candidates to look round your shoot, visit a local shooting shop or try to shoot some clays. Any shooting related activity that allows the candidate to meet voters should be welcome.
• Remember to let BASC have any response from candidates emailing to election@basc.org.uk.

PLEASE go and have a look now – BASC General Election 2010 Page