Brian May launches blistering attack on 'blood-bath' England over 'catastrophically failed' farmers

Brian May

Brian May has branded England a 'blood-bath' on Instagram

INSTAGRAM/BRIAN MAY
Alex Davies

By Alex Davies


Published: 03/08/2023

- 11:35

Updated: 03/08/2023

- 14:32

The Queen rocker has taken to social media to shed light on a new documentary he's making about British farming and the badger cull

Sir Brian May has branded England a "blood bath" after heading to Wales to see how farmers are coping in the fight against Bovine TB.

May has lambasted the government's current guidelines on dealing with the disease and the culling of badgers which has ensued as a preventative measure.


The Queen star explained that his current work project aims to investigate whether or not killing badgers does effectively reduce the spread of Bovine TB in cattle.

He praised farmers in Wales for looking for a "humane solution" to the problem before he pulled no punches on England's current approach.

In an Instagram post of him leaving Wales, May wrote besides the clip: "And so returning home with another piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

"But at least hats off to Wales for looking for a humane solution.

Brian May farming

Brian May was in Wales to record footage for his new documentary

INSTAGRAM/BRIAN MAY

"Sadly England is a blood bath. I vow never to give up until the Truth is recognised," he added.

During his time in Wales, May met with a farmer named Vivian who suffered major losses on his farm when the disease took hold.

Sharing a snap of himself alongside the farmer, May again issued a savage message aimed towards the government for its handling of the situation.

"Vivian, a very decent and caring farmer, took meticulous care of his cattle," he began. "Until one day, out of the blue, the whole herd failed the SICCT skin test for bovine TB, and he lost them all...

"Along with his livelihood, and his family’s whole way of life," May continued.

"He and his wife have fiercely fought back, as you’ll see in the documentary we’re making with the BBC.

"But in the ten years since this happened, the situation has only got worse for cattle farmers, indicating that a massive rethink is required, focussing on transmission of the pathogen within the herd, instead of clinging to the notion that the problem in cows can be solved by messing with surrounding wildlife, and testing and removing cows using a completely unreliable skin test.

"It’s all been a tragic mistake, and the NFU, DEFRA and governments from Cameron onwards have catastrophically failed the farmers," May fumed.
He went further: "We dare to hope that we can help put and end to this fiasco.

"If we can’t, all Britain’s cattle farmers can look forward to is more misery."

Brian May with Queen

Brian May is best known for performing as part of Queen

PA

May has vowed to find the "truth in the fight against bovine TB in cattle" after "almost a quarter of a million British badgers have been killed".

The first trials of the badger cull were implemented back in 2013 with areas in Gloucestershire and Somerset used as the pilots.

In the years since, culling has been rolled out across the country with 2019 marking the first year it was implemented nationwide.

Defra said the current strategy has "has led to a significant reduction in this insidious disease", according to the Daily Express.

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