UK: ‘Fake science used to justify badger culls’

UK government risked losing trust on how it used evidence on important scientific issues —Researcher

The UK government is accused of using “fake science” to justify its policy of culling badgers to control cattle TB.

Prof Rosie Woodroffe, a wildlife expert at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), says the UK government ministers were creating an “illusion” of success to justify their policy of culling badgers to control cattle TB, said a report.

Prof Woodroffe, who conducted the scientific research of culling badgers to control Cattle TB, which forms the basis of the current policy, said the government risked losing trust on how it used evidence – not just on its policy on controlling cattle TB but on other important scientific issues as well, the report said.

“When evidence is being cherry-picked and presented in the best possible light, it ceases to be evidence. It is fake science,” Woodroffe said.

“When it comes to (other policy areas) such as climate change and bee pollination, issues that have a big impact on lives and livelihoods of people, it is important that we can rely on the government to provide good evidence to stand up to scrutiny.”

More…