The Government has “fired the starting gun” on its pledge to ban trail-hunting as it confirms that a consultation will be launched early next year – and the community is ready to fight.
Defra minister Angela Eagle reiterated Labour’s manifesto promise of a ban, in parliament on 30 October, and stated that the consultation will be on “how to deliver a full ban” – not whether or not a ban should be imposed. But the hunting community has responded in robust fashion.
Ben Wallace, chair of the joint British Hound Sports Association and Countryside Alliance hunting campaign, said: “Legislating on trail-hunting is completely out of step with the priorities of rural voters and those in towns and cities.
“The last time Labour was in government, Tony Blair wasted 700 hours of parliamentary time banning traditional hunting and with so many other urgent issues facing the country it is madness that ministers are now planning to spend even more time on trail-hunting.
“After its attack on family farms and the chaos over agri-environmental schemes, legislation on trail-hunting is another Labour attack on the countryside. A ban on trail-hunting is unnecessary and unjustified.”
Mr Wallace said the challenge to the hunting community may be greater than it was in 2004, before the Hunting Act came into force, owing to the large Labour majority and the manifesto commitment to a ban.
“Together we have two clear tasks,” he said. “First to demonstrate unequivocally and unarguably that trail-hunting is a legal and legitimate activity, then to communicate that fact to every politician in Westminster through the media and lobbying. The Government has fired the starting gun. We must be ready to respond.”
Ms Eagle had been asked by fellow Labour MP Ian Byrne about proposals to strengthen the Hunting Act, including introducing prison sentences for illegal hunting, as well as the trail-hunting ban.
“This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail-hunting in line with our manifesto commitment,” Ms Eagle replied. “Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing and a consultation seeking views on how to deliver a full ban will be held early next year.”
Damaging lives
Ed Swales, chair of campaign group Hunting Kind, told H&H the news is “further misguided and prejudiced rhetoric from a Government so out of touch with its rural and farming electorate that it would be laughable if it wasn’t so damaging to people’s lives”.
“This is an election loser for Labour when balanced against today’s real-life priorities,” he said. “This latest attack is not about animal welfare nor ever has been. It’s a wilfully ignorant and discriminatory attempt at a human versus human conflict couched around an ill-informed and anthropomorphic view of how we coexist with nature.
“To conflate the unquestionably legal equine and canine sport of following trails with the scientific, ethical and cultural basis of wildlife management is to highlight a complete lack of understanding, again. This rides roughshod over the protectable beliefs of a community cultural minority and tramples diversity into the ground.
“Having wasted 700 hours of parliamentary time trying to restrict elements of hunting, Tony Blair stated that it was his biggest single political regret while in office. Will today’s Labour continue to give itself cause for regret?”
On 29 October, at a conference organised by Hunting Kind, Reform’s David Jones said: “If this Labour Government bans trail-hunting, an activity in which no animal is pursued, the next Reform Government will reverse that ban.”
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