'Caving into conspiracy theories': Natural England 'hobbled' as DEFRA exempts ponies ...
endsreport.com
Dartmoor campaigners say DEFRA exempted ponies from Natural England's oversight after pressure rooted in conspiracy theories — raising the question of when public distrust shapes policy.
Regulatory CaptureEpistemic AuthorityPublic Choice TheoryConspiracy Thinking
Theory Briefing
- Nature campaigners accuse DEFRA of exempting Dartmoor ponies from Natural England's rules after yielding to conspiracy-theory-driven pressure.
- The move is framed as 'hobbling' the government's own regulator, weakening enforcement on protected land.
- The dispute puts grassroots distrust of conservation bodies directly against scientific land-management authority.
- Dartmoor's fragile ecosystem sits at the centre of a wider fight over who gets to decide how protected landscapes are managed.