Owen Paterson: “The badgers haved moved the goalposts”

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Environmental secretary Owen Paterson has told BBC Spotlight that the controversial badger cull has been a success, but that "the badgers have moved the goalposts."

No, we're not sure either (but hopefully it's not a reference to this infamous viral video).

Turns out Paterson was talking about how badgers could be affected by various factors outside of his control – such as weather, disease and breeding patterns. Apparently these things are the fault of said badgers, who are moving those goalposts.

Paterson told the BBC that "very roughly there's 1000 fewer badgers this year than last year, and my personal opinion having talked to some of these guys on the ground, is that sadly some of these badgers are very sick".

We hope Paterson means farmers or at least people when he refers to those "guys on the ground".

Today Paterson announced the completion of a six-week period of the Somerset TB control pilot cull (release). He said that "current indications suggest that the pilot has been safe, humane and effective in delivery a reduction in the badger population of just under 60 per cent".