MPs vote for total ban on hunting

Many hunts were out to highlight their case

MPs have voted by a majority of 213 for an outright ban on hunting with hounds in England and Wales.

They rejected keeping hunting with self-regulation or with a licensing scheme, the so-called "middle way", after six hours of lively debate, and voted 387 against 174 in favour of a total ban.

During an earlier division, supporters of the "middle way" were buoyed by 182 MPs voting in favour, more than predicted by supporters, although there were 382 votes against.

The first clause, keeping hunting with self-regulation, secured 155 votes, with 399 MPs voting in favour of a change.

Voting on the three options

Self-regulation - 155 with 399 against

New licensing scheme or "middle way" - 182 with 382 against

Total ban - 387 with 174 against

Outside Parliament, disappointed pro-hunt campaigners blew whistles and hunting horns in defiance of the result at the end of a three-day vigil. Both pro and anti-hunting supporters had staged peaceful protests throughout Wednesday.

Despite earlier signals he would be at Westminster to vote for a ban, it had emerged earlier in the day that Prime Minister Tony Blair would be in Northern Ireland.

Mr Blair has made public his opposition to hunting with hounds but failed to cast his vote during the two previous attempts by MPs to outlaw hunting since New Labour took office in 1997.

The outright ban was opposed by Tory leader William Hague, former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown and senior Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich).

Home Secretary Jack Straw and Sports Minister Kate Hoey also voted against the ban.

No shooting or fishing ban

The debate was opened and closed by junior Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien who told MPs the votes on each option were a "matter of conscience" for each of them.

Winding up the debate, Mr O'Brien pledged: "Let me reassure people who may be concerned, there will be no ban on fishing or shooting under a government led by Mr Blair."

Tory home affairs spokesman David Lidington, who opposed a ban, said his preference was for self-regulation as the licensing proposal was both "cumbersome and bureaucratic".

Hunts met across the country before the Commons debate

Outside the Houses of Parliament the League Against Cruel Sports held a demonstration while across the road in Parliament Square, a pro-hunting vigil was staged by the Countryside Alliance.

Further afield, hunt members and supporters held large gatherings in areas including Somerset, Wiltshire, Wales and Essex.

Timing constraint

Even though MPs have voted for a total ban, anti-hunting supporters have accepted that the measure could face strong opposition in the House of Lords and that the bill is highly unlikely to become law before the expected spring general election.

In the run up to Wednesday's debate, Tory Lords leader Lord Strathclyde insisted peers would subject the measure to the same scrutiny as any other government bill.

"No bill, not even the shortest and least controversial one, can normally pass the Lords in less than six to seven weeks from when it leaves the Commons," he said.

"That means that if there is an election called for April or May, this bill has no chance of becoming law for timing reasons alone. Tony Blair knows that."

Parliamentary obstacles

Downing Street has rejected speculation that if as expected the bill falls when it reaches the Lords, a pledge to ban hunting will appear in Labour's election manifesto.

With the full array of potential parliamentary obstacles taken into account it could be November 2002 before a ban takes effect.

The last time the current bill came before MPs in December, at second reading stage, a ban was backed by 373 votes.