Hunting: Vote loser for Tories
The hunting with hounds bill denies nothing to Mr Hankey and his ilk except the setting of hounds on a fox to tear it to pieces.
Anyone who can derive any pleasure or satisfaction from witnessing such a sick act, should seek help.
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To try and make this barbaric medieval blood sport still acceptable in the 21st century, the hunting fraternity follow a well-trodden path.
First you turn the quarry into an "ogre", accuse it of anything that you can get away with, so that decent people think you are doing them a favour by your actions.
If a fox gets into a chicken run and instead of just killing one chicken for food kills them all, he does, not because he is a "crazed killer", but because chickens are not native to this country and the fox has no experience of meeting them in wild flocks.
His natural instincts tell him that when he needs to kill to feed; he dives into a flock of birds and kills one because by the time he has done that the rest have long gone. In a chicken run, however, the rest are still there and his natural instincts tell him to kill again: a fox has no capability for rational thought but to imply that he does serves to denigrate him and thus remove any sympathy for this native creature.
Any problems with foxes and chickens are wholly the responsibility of the person who keeps the chickens – making a fox proof run is well short of rocket of science.
As for the taking of lambs, I simply have no knowledge of such a thing happening but I have been told of instances of eagles taking them in Scotland.
Now let's squash the other "myth" – hunting is necessary to keep down the number of foxes.
Rubbish! I and my wife were caretakers some years ago for the "big house" on a large estate in Dumfries and Galloway that consisted of tenant farms and forestry. The owners only came up from London on school holidays so we had the place to ourselves.
Twice a year the gamekeeper would tell us not to be concerned if we heard gunshots during the night as they were culling foxes which had become too numerous.
At dusk a pickup truck would arrive fitted with many lamps and with four men with rifles. At dawn it would arrive back at the entrance loaded with dead foxes and that was it for six months.
Proof if proof were needed that to control the fox population it was not necessary to allow or cause them to be torn apart. If a fox was wounded they always made sure it was never left to suffer.
Although this country is going to "hell on a handcart", pushed first by Blair and then by Brown the only thing Cameron could think of when he became leader of the Tory party was to have a free vote on the hunting law if elected with a view to getting it changed.
He would be well advised to leave well alone.
Unless Cameron withdraws his promise, there is no way we, as a family could give our support at the next election.
The Countryside Alliance have over a million supporters who one would reasonably assume will vote Tory but that leaves 59 million who are not supporters, many of whom no doubt feel as we do.
John Hannah, Countesthorpe.
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by Frank, Coalville
Thursday, February 11 2010, 10:47AM
“Karin now you are talking sense, public executions would be a great idea for rapists, peados and murderers. I do agree on one thing though fox hunting is a silly debate, lets concentrate and debate the issues that actually mateer”
by Fred, Leicester
Thursday, February 11 2010, 10:40AM
“Yet another example of how Labour has sold this country out and taken the great out of Britain. They have destroyed the school and higher education system, totally changed the priorities of the police and turned us into a laughing stock as well as criminalising a pursuit that is of no consequence to town folk......
Foxes are vermin that destroy a lot of farmers livestock and livelihoods.
For those of you voting Labour pelase dont at the next election, anyone else will do as we need to sort things out before the rest of the law abiding hard working people leave and all that is left is the un-educated, jobless rabble that Labour love so much.”
by David Hankey, Great Easton, Leics
Thursday, February 11 2010, 9:25AM
“Daniel, I am sorry that you have had to stoop so low as referring me to vermin. It comes as no surprise that you have decided to become offensive. This usually happens when people have LOST the argument!!”
by Daniel, Leicester
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 3:35PM
“David Hankey, Great Easton, Leics - I agree there are far more important issues than fox hunting looking at the state of the country full stop. But to call a fox 'vermin' seems a bit like the pot calling the kettle black from you sir! Just because its not TOP priority doesnt mean its right or it should ever be allowed to continue.”
by martin, le3
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 3:14PM
“The funny thing is, I'm fairly neutral about fox hunting - yes, it is cruel, but then again it is only a fox - until I see the type of people that defend it and the way they defend it. Then I starting thinking I am glad it is banned just to annoy them!”
by David Hankey, Great Easton, Leics
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 3:05PM
“Ah, Daniel, and therein lies my argument that New Labour promoted the vermin fox to the top of their list of important matters. What an absolute ruddy disgrace!!”
by Daniel, Leicester
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:19PM
“Apologies the last comment should say 'At least NOT voting Labour OUT!' quick typing :(”
by Daniel, Leicester
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:17PM
“I think fox hunting is cruel and desperate and anyone who does it should be chased through streets in a human version of the hunt, then dealt with in the same manner as the fox...However I truly hope that people dont use this as the main reason for not voting for the Tories or at least NOT voting for Labour as this issue is way down the list of importance for them and there are so many bigger issues we need to resolve first.”
by Karin, Oadby
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:11PM
“martin, it was ever thus, the winning party gets in on the weaknesses of their predecessors rather than their own strengths. Most people opt for change for change's sake. I am not in favour of any political party, however, I am in favour of decency and humanity which precludes both fox hunting AND illegal wars.”
by David Hankey, Great Easton, Leics
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 1:15PM
“Em, remember this, it New Labour who swept into power in 1997 who adopted a policy of "change for the sake of change" and this issue personifies just that.
It was a vindictive piece of legislation affecting thousands of folk who reside in the countryside who have followed a tradition that is not harming anyone. By anyone I mean other people.
They were happy to take this nation to war, some say illegally, now that was cruel and barbaric!!”