You agreed to vote on fox hunting – so let's have one, say campaigners
COUNTRYSIDE campaigners in Gloucestershire have urged the Government to press ahead with plans for a free vote on whether to scrap the controversial ban on fox hunting.
Prime minister David Cameron made a commitment to asking MPs whether they thought the ban should be repealed as part of the coalition agreement.
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But with the issue likely to expose cracks in the Conservative/Liberal Democrat alliance, reports have indicated he is considering putting it off.
Rosie Vestey, joint master of the Cotswold Hunt, urged Mr Cameron to fulfil his promise.
"It is very important that we all continue to fight for repeal," she said. "David Cameron has consistently repeated the Government's commitment to a free vote and his own support for the repeal of the Hunting Act.
"It is immensely frustrating, and indeed dangerous that police have spent hours investigating allegations made by animal rights activists when they should have been tackling real, serious crime.
"No one is suggesting this is the most important issue facing the country, but it is a bad law that needs to go.
"The eventual delivery of a vote on repeal is now a matter of trust."
The call comes just days after hunting enthusiasts across the county showed support for the countryside tradition is as strong as ever.
Hundreds turned out for the annual Boxing Day hunts, even though icy conditions meant they could not go ahead.
Members of the Beaufort Hunt echoed the call.
Hunt secretary Nigel Maidment said: "We believe the law should be changed, and we believe that in time it will be.
"The way it works at the moment is confused. We work hard to stay within the law, by hunting using a mixture of hand exercises and trail laying, but true fox hunting is the most humane method of keeping the balance of nature.
"We want the free vote to go ahead, because it represents a good chance the ban will be overturned."
A recent survey for the League Against Cruel Sports showed 76 per cent of the British public think fox hunting should remain illegal.
According to the survey, only 18 per cent believe the ban should be repealed.
It is understood 42 of the 57 Liberal Democrat MPs are opposed to lifting the ban, while there is thought to be more support for the idea among Conservatives.
Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood said he had consistently opposed such a move.
He said: "I don't think it is a priority to reopen this debate now.
"A free vote would swallow up a huge amount of time in parliament and in the current climate there are far more important issues to discuss."
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by Somerset Girl, Chard
Sunday, January 02 2011, 5:59PM
“Fox hunting, stag hunting, hare coursing..they are all cruel. Dog and Cock fighting got illegalised, hunting has had the same, but the 'toffs' have difficulty abiding by the law and the hunting ban..perhaps they think they are above the law..?!! Guess its not what you know but who you can pay to keep quiet....”
by cerdicboy, Somerset
Saturday, January 01 2011, 6:42PM
“The body that overseas Foxhunting the Master of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) wrote to all 800 Hunt Masters asking them to get landowners and farmers to breed more foxes as they were a shortage of foxes to hunt.
Fox hunting is simply ¿Cruelty dressed up as a sport¿!”
by Peter, Cheltenham
Saturday, January 01 2011, 6:41AM
“Ban Fox hunting entirely but allow the hooray henrys to continue with hunting as long as they use their followers as bait.Surely among all these blood lovers a few will not mind being torn apart by a pack of hounds.”
by Tallo Ho, Hesters Way
Friday, December 31 2010, 5:41PM
“With all the cuts, I have a solution that would allow the hunts to remain.
Retrain the hounds to sniff out drug dealers and let them hunt in Hesters Way.
Even I would pay good money to see drug dealing vermin, torn limb form limb after a chase.”
by Paul, Cheltenham
Friday, December 31 2010, 12:25PM
“Thanks Nick, classic use of the "Straw-Man" argument in your reply, well done.”
by Norman Miles, Zhuhai. China
Friday, December 31 2010, 1:33AM
“Upper Crust Gloucestershire.
Gor Blimey Guv: you laid it on a bit fick there,wiv all this one does an one does not,you sounds juss like Riff Raff tryin to be somefing he aint”
by FJ, Glos
Thursday, December 30 2010, 5:43PM
“Well since opinion polls show that the majority of the public are against hunting by a factor of 2:1, and even a majority of people who live in rural areas are against before the pro-hunt brigade start banging on about city folk not understanding their lifestyle. Lets have a free vote in the commons, to a. see how in-touch our MPs are and b. let them watch as it is defeated (which is the real reason why Cameron doesn't want to have the vote, he knows he will lose it if he has it now and destroy any chance he has of getting it repealed without sounding like a bad loser).”
by Nick, Gloucester
Thursday, December 30 2010, 5:05PM
“"90% of UK halal slaughter involves pre-stunning."
So 10% doesn't but that's OK then.
"...an Organic abattoir regularly failed to stun the animals before slaughter and were also beating and abusing animals."
In other words, they were breaking the law but at least the law is there to protect the animals. Are halal meat producers inherently incapable of breaking laws too?”
by Upper Crust, Gloucestershire
Thursday, December 30 2010, 2:23PM
“Why don't you lower class riff raff leave our sport alone. If one was brought up with my superior and expensive education, then one would understand the attraction to fox hunting.”
by Paul, Cheltenham
Thursday, December 30 2010, 1:44PM
“puzzled, Gloucester
Halal methods now include a "reversible" stunning method. Historic data published by the Meat Hygiene Service suggests that around 90% of UK halal slaughter involves pre-stunning.
And don't think that traditional UK methods are any better.
Undercover reporters from the Daily Mail found that staff in an Organic abattoir regularly failed to stun the animals before slaughter and were also beating and abusing animals.”