No charges for 'race' speech farmer

Robin Page was accused of making racist comments

A farmer who was arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred will not face prosecution.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said there was insufficient evidence to proceed against Robin Page.

The 61-year-old countryside campaigner and Daily Telegraph columnist was questioned after a speech in which he claimed hunting supporters should be given the same rights as ethnic minorities.

The Cambridgeshire farmer was speaking at a pro-countryside alliance fair in Frampton-on- Severn in Gloucestershire last September.

'Insufficient evidence

After a number of complaints about his speech, Mr Page was arrested in November on suspicion of committing public order offences, including stirring up racial hatred.

Mr Page, of Barton, Cambridgeshire, who also runs the Countryside Restoration Trust, was released on bail.

In a statement released on Monday, Gloucestershire Constabulary said a decision had been made not to proceed with the case, on the advice of the CPS.

It said: "The CPS has considered a file on the case and advised that there is currently insufficient evidence to proceed.

"Mr Page has been notified by letter of the decision and his bail has been cancelled."