What you can do in upcoming elections

Could you spare a few minutes to put political candidates on the spot at this crucial moment for the future of shooting in Wales and Scotland?

Ahead of the elections next week, BASC has again launched dedicated websites to help you contact your candidates. Simply select your constituency from a drop-down menu, which will generate a list of candidates in your area. You can then use tick boxes to contact some or all of them with a template email outlining BASC’s position and requesting confirmation that, if elected, they will support and champion sustainable shooting and conservation.

If you get responses from any candidates, we ask that you email them to either welshelection2026@basc.org.uk or politicsscotland@basc.org.uk.

From our election websites, you can also read a review of what each party manifesto says about shooting and conservation, and below is a summary of that.

Wales

Plaid Cymru, Welsh Greens, Welsh Conservatives and Welsh Liberal Democrats make no mention of shooting in their manifestos. However, there are various promises to support farming and invest more in nature recovery, including the creation and maintenance of woodlands.

Welsh Labour’s manifesto commits to “increase restrictions on the shooting of gamebirds”. This follows another call for evidence on gamebird releasing in Wales.

Reform UK’s Wales manifesto makes a commitment not to ban the release of gamebirds nor create a licensing regime, and to review the “excessively restrictive” General Licences for the control of pest birds.

Scotland

Support for deer management is a common theme across most of the Scottish political party manifestos. For example, the SNP would support firm deer control incentives and implement a national deer management and venison plan. The Scottish Labour Party commits to delivering sustainable deer management, continuing incentive pilots and supporting community initiatives to supply venison to local markets.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats promise to tackle damaging overgrazing by deer, and a review of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code would also take place.

The Scottish Conservatives recognise that “Scottish Government legislation often makes gamekeepers’ lives more difficult” and promise to put that right. The party has published a specific rural manifesto that includes promises to manage the deer population, promote the use of venison, pause the rollout of the muirburn licensing scheme, and reaffirm commitment to fieldsports.

The Reform UK manifesto for Scotland promises to support rural communities by maintaining traditional country sports and to stop poorly managed forestry and rewilding schemes, while also developing a long-term plan for planting extensive native woodlands across Scotland.

The Scottish Green Party proposes to introduce a licensing system to control the release of the millions of intensively farmed gamebirds, such as pheasant and red-legged partridge, introduced into the countryside every year to reduce the spread of avian influenza to wild birds.

Promises

The extent to which party manifesto commitments will influence the Welsh and Scottish governments’ policies on shooting and conservation remains to be seen, but perhaps the various promises, and threats, may help you make an informed decision on whom to vote for.

Every bit of information you can give us about your candidates’ views now will help give BASC a running start after 7 May, as we start engaging with the newly elected Senedd and Scottish Parliament members.