Election results: a new chapter for shooting?

Rural vote cannot be ignored

Rural voters have sent a clear message to politicians across Scotland and Wales, according to countryside organisations responding to the results of 7 May’s elections.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that parties can no longer take the countryside for granted,” said David Bean, Parliament and Government Relations Manager at the Countryside Alliance. “From attacks on shooting to the family farm tax, rural voters increasingly feel decisions are being imposed on them rather than developed with them. This has created fertile ground for anti-establishment parties, but the resulting fragmentation in the vote could make rural voices more influential nationally.”

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Plaid breakthrough reshapes Welsh politics

In Wales, Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Senedd for the first time, winning 43 of 96 seats, while Welsh Labour, the party of government since devolution began in 1999, collapsed to nine. First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her own seat and resigned as party leader. At the time of writing, Plaid Cymru was expected to form a minority government under Rhun ap Iorwerth.

BASC Wales director Steve Griffiths welcomed the result. “Rural Wales depends on balanced, practical policymaking that supports the countryside, sustainable land management and the communities that live and work within it. We welcome the opportunity to engage positively with the new administration to ensure the voices of responsible shooting, conservation and the wider rural economy are heard at the heart of the Welsh Government.”

Among the issues awaiting the incoming administration is a call for evidence on gamebird release initiated by outgoing Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies weeks before polling day. Before the election, Plaid Cymru stated that it recognises the key contribution shooting makes to the conservation ecosystem in Wales and values its economic and cultural importance to rural communities. With ministers yet to be appointed, its handling of the review remains to be seen. Reform UK, which pledged in its manifesto to oppose any ban or licensing regime for gamebird release in Wales, finished second with 34 seats and is expected to lead the opposition.

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Scotland sees cautious optimism

In Scotland, the SNP returned as the largest party with 58 seats, falling seven short of the 65 needed for a majority. The previous term was defined by the Bute House Agreement, a formal power-sharing arrangement with the Scottish Green Party that ended in 2024. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association acknowledged the previous term had been deeply difficult for the sector. 

“It cannot be denied that the first part of last term was very, very trying for the game and wildlife sector,” an SGA spokesman said. “We lost snaring and there was a widely held perception amongst our membership that the Government was undermining and undervaluing rural workers, which had an impact on sector morale. Thankfully, the end of that agreement heralded a reset. Scottish Government became more pragmatic, acknowledging the role the sector plays in retaining families in rural areas, in biodiversity and delivering the Government’s targets. If that is the version of the Scottish Government we will see this term, then there is a lot which can be achieved in cooperation.”

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Shooting groups seek influence

BASC Scotland director Peter Clark struck an optimistic note. “This is an opportunity for BASC to build on its lobbying work and to develop a pro-shooting and conservation group within parliament. BASC looks forward to engaging with all 129 MSPs and is already planning events and engagements to showcase the best of Scottish shooting and conservation.”