Mixed feelings over hunting ban

Hunt supporters are planning civil disobedience against the ban

A ban on fox-hunting forced into law by MPs after peers defied the House of Commons has received a mixed response.

The use of the Parliament Act has led to a total ban on hunting with dogs in England and Wales.

The move has been welcomed by animal rights activists, many of who have campaigned for a ban for decades.

But, in stark contrast, many pro-hunt activists have remained defiant, saying they will ignore the ban and continue to hunt.

A spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance described the ban as "unnecessary, unjust and unenforceable".

Backbench 'bigots'

She said: "It is quite clear that public opinion does not favour a ban on hunting and neither do the Lords.

"It is a few prejudiced and bigoted back benchers who have forced the Commons to use the Parliament Act."

And it was clear that the activists were prepared to fight to retain their right to hunt.

"We plan to mount a legal challenge against the validity of the Parliament Act and another based on the Human Rights Act," said the spokeswoman.

Defiance

She added: "Illegal hunting is a decision for individuals to make themselves.

But other groups were more defiant in the face of the ban, saying they would flout the law.

Janet George, a spokeswoman for the Countryside Action Network, said: "If Tony Blair wants war, he can have war - Iraq obviously wasn't enough for him.

"We are planning a campaign of civil disobedience and will not respect the ban. Our supporters will make it as difficult as possible to enforce the ban.

"This could be the prime minister's poll tax because we are not going to give in or go away. We will keep fighting and we will win."

'Landmark decision'

But anti-hunt campaigners criticised such defiance and heralded the ban.

Douglas Batchelor, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "People have talked about breaking the law but we live in a democracy.

"An elected parliament makes the laws and the vast majority of citizens in this country obey them - nobody is above the law.

"The League expects people to adhere to the ban and turn to other, cruelty free, country sports."

Mr Batchelor added: "The League has been campaigning for 80 years so, of course, we welcome the ban.

"We welcome a landmark decision by parliament that people should not be cruel to animals for sport."

The vast majority of people in England and Wales believe there can be no right to chase and mutilate animals for entertainment Phyllis Campbell-McRae, the UK director of IFAW

His sentiments were echoed by Phyllis Campbell-McRae, the UK Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

She said: "The ban on hunting with dogs will radically change the landscape of animal welfare in the UK and worldwide.

"Our campaign has always focussed on ending wanton cruelty to Britain's wild mammals - perpetrated in the name of 'sport'.

"The vast majority of people in England and Wales believe there can be no right to chase and mutilate animals for entertainment."

But the decision could damage Labour ahead of the next general election.

He said: Alastair Jackson, is director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, the foxhunting governing body.

"The ban will turn a lot of people against Labour. There will be a lot of anger and demonstrations in the build-up to the next general election.

"I know many former Labour supporters who will vote against them on this one issue as a Conservative government might repeal this law."