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![]() Sunday, March 1, 1998 Published at 22:47 GMT ![]() ![]() ![]() UK ![]() Countryside fields 250,000 protesters ![]() The streets of London belonged to the marchers
Jubilant campaigners say politicians will have to take greater notice of rural concerns after around 250,000 people took part in a countryside march in London.
Despite complaints by prominent members of the march and politicians that the protest was dominated by pro-hunt campaigners, the organisers claimed it had been a major success.
Police said the march passed off peacefully with only seven arrests by mid-afternoon despite fears of clashes between hunt saboteurs and marchers.
"It is only now that people have started marching, it is only in the last ten days that the government has started taking any notice of rural people whatsoever," he said.
Although there were mixed signals from the government during the week and criticism from some members that the event had been hijacked by the blood sports lobby, Mr Meacher did attend.
He said the march gave the government a chance to listen to the view of the countryside.
"It does enable us to engage. I do intend to speak to the people over the next weeks and months, not just on this particular day," he said.
A plethora of causes
A bill by the Labour backbencher Michael Foster to ban fox hunting was one focus for the event.
These include the banning of beef on the bone, plans to build on green field sites, farmers' falling incomes, and right to roam proposals launched last week.
The march also attracted support from civil liberties campaigners, with country marchers protesting that their personal freedoms were being taken away by "townie" Labour MPs.
However, there were also hints of an urban backlash against the event. Julia Long, a Londoner who saw the march, said she did not have much sympathy for those taking part.
"I think it is rather arrogant of the country march to come up here and say what they want and what they don't want," she said.
Reports quoting "informed sources" said any decision to launch a new Rural Affairs Department would be as a result of an exercise launched several months ago rather than a knee-jerk response.
An official Downing Street spokesman also said that any reports at this stage were just speculation.
But Mr Meacher appeared to confirm that the issue was under serious
consideration.
"I do entirely understand that one of the issues that people on this march
today are concerned about is that there should be a centre within government
which addresses their interests.
"We do need a better focus within government to do that and I entirely
understand that the Prime Minister may wish to consider the issue."
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