Conservative Party leadership hopeful Liz Truss was ambushed by badger cull protesters as her campaign to become the next Prime Minister continued. The incident unfolded as she turned up to a hustings event at the Local Government Association’s offices in Westminster.
The event was being staged at the venue with Conservative councillors as party members will be asked to pick between the former Roundhay School pupil and her colleague Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond and former Chancellor. However, as she arrived, Ms Truss - who happened to be wearing black and white clothing, the same colour as badgers - was greeted by protesters.
Chants of “save our badgers, stop the cull” were yelled at Ms Truss, who oversaw the culling programme while she was Environment Secretary, while journalists tried to quiz her as she entered the building. One activist, dressed up as a badger, following the Foreign Secretary with a placards which said “I am innocent” and “176,000 badgers shot by Defra” (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) on them.
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The controversial culling programme was introduced in a bid to stop TB spreading in cattle. Many accused the Government's policy of being “inhumane and ineffective”, with protesters suggesting the idea was not backed up by scientific evidence.
Today's hustings was the first of a series of events being held involving Ms Truss and Mr Sunak as they seek support to replace Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street. They will participate in a dozen hustings overall before the vote is held, with a result expected on September 5.
Mr Sunak avoided the protesters and the media as he managed to slip out unnoticed after speaking to Tory councillors first. However, Ms Truss was not as fortunate as, even though she exited via a side door, she was spotted by protesters who surrounded her car and shouted: “Stop killing badgers.”
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