House of Commons 'would not overturn hunting ban'
Hopes among the fox-hunting community that the ban on hunting with hounds might be scrapped have been dealt a blow.
As the new hunt season got under way, a poll of MPs found more in favour of keeping the Hunting Act 2004 than scrapping it.
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The Quorn Hunt
The Conservatives had promised a free vote if the party won a majority in the Commons in the General Election.
However, a poll of politicians' attitudes published by the League Against Cruel Sports suggested only 253 out of 650 members were committed to repealing the act.
The anti-repeal lobby had the support of 319 MPs.
The poll was published as the Quorn Hunt began the new season in the north of the county yesterday.
Quorn member Michael Clayton vowed to continue to campaign to get the law scrapped as he prepared to ride out yesterday.
He said: "The Hunting Act must be repealed – it is a bad legislation. It has done nothing to protect animal welfare. Foxes are suffering."
He said hunting was an efficient and humane way of controlling fox numbers.
Mr Clayton, also a trustee of Melton Hunting Museum, said: "Hunting is part of our heritage and Leicestershire is the St Moritz of hunting in this country, with its rolling hills.
"Police have more pressing duties in these times than enforcing this law.
"We also have to put up with vigilante groups which film us."
Leicestershire is home to three other hunts – the Fernie, the Cottesmore and Belvoir.
Two other hunts, the Atherstone and the Pytchley, hunt on the Leicestershire border.
Leicester's three Labour MPs are opposed to repealing the act, but the county's seven Conservative MPs have vowed to scrap the law in any vote.
Harborough MP Edward Garnier is a leading hunt supporter in the Commons, but agreed there are not enough pro-hunting MPs to repeal the law.
He said: "The Conservative manifesto said if it had a majority it would hold a free vote on the repeal of the law. We do not have an overall majority."
He felt it was unlikely that a vote would be held with the current line-up in the House of Commons.
Mr Garnier added: "When there is a free vote I will vote for repeal. Until then hunts must continue to hunt within the law."
League Against Cruel Sports chief executive Douglas Batchelor said: "There is no real appetite in the coalition for bringing back a bloodsport. It is very clear the hunting issue is off the political agenda.
"We don't expect the first vote to come much before the next election. Even the hunts know this.
"The tradition for the start of the hunting season has become hunts claiming that this will be the last season under the Hunting Act, but they aren't saying that this year.
"The law is here to stay and we will continue to support the police in enforcing it."
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by Paul McDonald, Birmingham
Monday, October 25 2010, 7:22PM
“Why anyone would enjoy chasing and killing animals is beyond me. Messed up in the head I suppose.”
by Dave, Radford
Monday, October 25 2010, 12:23PM
“"I just wondered why the thousands of people that bother to confront foxhunters don't stand and protest outside halal restaurants in the name of animal welfare."
I wonder why John Bull is so concerned about halal slaughter? It isn't really any more or less humane than any other kind of slaughter. Would it be too much to suggest that he is an Islamophobe?”
by Stu, Evinton Exile
Monday, October 25 2010, 9:57AM
“As mentioned by a poster below, the Fox Hunting debate is far more about the politics behind it than the actual 'sport' itself.
I personal have no view either way but the original Ban was an easy hit by Labour to show their voters that they were in control of the evil upper class. Now that the Cons are in power they may well look to overturn it (whether I agree or not) as it is a key milestone in reversing a high profile Labour issue.
I firmly believe that all the Fox stories in the papers recently (attacking children, people etc) has been a substatined media push by the Government to put Foxes in the public concience as 'bad/wrong/nasty' and introduce a negitive view of them for when/if a vote on the ban is run.
There are, unfortunately, far bigger issues for us to get upset about at present and would suggest that people view the full story rather that the, understandable, emotional aspects of it”
by martin, le3
Monday, October 25 2010, 8:37AM
“"
Martin, I'm merely questioning the hypocrisy of many in the anti-hunting lobby. I eat halal meat and if you note my comments on previous articles you will notice that I have a deep hatred of racists!
John Bull, Leicester
Report abuse
commented on 24-Oct-2010 23:32
"
I appreciate that, I am commenting on the comments you made in a general sense - I have no view about you personally.”
by Liz, UK
Monday, October 25 2010, 8:22AM
“Liz, so if the fox was 'stunned' would you be happy for it to be pulled apart?
John Bull, Leicester
Of course not, hunting is about entertainment as I've already said - so the reason for killing the animal is spurious to start with. And I'd love to find an anti-hunter who's OK with any other kind of gratuitous cruelty to animals.”
by John Bull, Leicester
Sunday, October 24 2010, 11:32PM
“Martin, I'm merely questioning the hypocrisy of many in the anti-hunting lobby. I eat halal meat and if you note my comments on previous articles you will notice that I have a deep hatred of racists!”
by John Bull, Leicester
Sunday, October 24 2010, 11:24PM
“Liz, so if the fox was 'stunned' would you be happy for it to be pulled apart?”
by John Bull (working class), Leicester
Sunday, October 24 2010, 11:17PM
“It's not about political correctness j. I just wondered why the thousands of people that bother to confront foxhunters don't stand and protest outside halal restaurants in the name of animal welfare. Personally i'm not fussed in the same way that i'm quite happy to eat a cow that's been shot through the head with a bolt gun. It's all to do with class snobbery and hatred of the 'upper' classes.”
by Peter, Wigston, Leicestershire
Sunday, October 24 2010, 10:07PM
“The badger is the emblem of the Wildlife Trust and I am just as passionate about them as about foxes, perhaps more so.
So I am not at all pleased that farmers have brought cheap animals and feed from all over the world and caused diseases to spread not just amongst the cattle, but also amongst the local badger population.
And just as the more vulnerable are expected to pay with their livelihoods for the problems caused by the over rich bankers, so are the more vulnerable badgers likely to pay with their lives for the problems caused by farmers. This government is just unfair, unfair, unfair.
I will give up eating beef if badgers are hunted to death.”
by Rubbish, Leicestershire
Sunday, October 24 2010, 9:55PM
“Fox v Toffs.
Town v Country folk
Lab/Lib v Conservative.
This is just about politics & class, not about the real issue(s). You're all bunch of hypocrites.
I've never met so many Fox lovers. What about everyone's love for the...............Badger and its fate for example? Not the same passion?
Wonder why.....
oh yes...politics and class.”