Mike Watson: "Fox hunting not just a rural issue"

The Bill is in the early stages of being drafted by the pressure group Advocates for Animals and will be steered through the parliament by Labour MSP Mike Watson.

It could see Scotland lead the rest of the UK in banning fox hunting with packs of hounds.

Conservative MSPs have signalled they will fight the Bill but Mr Watson rejected claims by the pro-hunting lobby that it represented urban interference in rural affairs.

The member for Glasgow Cathcart told BBC News 24: "The question of hunting with hounds is not simply an issue for those people who live in the rural areas. It is a matter, I would suggest, of conscience."

Name-calling 'depressing'

Mr Watson also hit back at the Scottish Landowners Federation which described him as a "stereotypical urban politician".

"I hope we are not going to get into name calling. That would be rather depressing," he said.

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said his party was determined to mount a strong attack on any ban.

Anti hunters are working on the Bill

"We are not going to sit idly by and allow the whole countryside way of life to go by default in the Scottish Parliament," he stated.

"Make no mistake, the Watson Bill to ban fox hunting would be just the thin end of the wedge.

"Before long anglers, stalkers, shooters and the rest would all become targets of the unholy alliance of Old Labour class warriors and misguided animal welfare activists."

Scotland has nine mounted packs, four hill packs and 28 fox destruction clubs.

Mr McLetchie also said the impact on 14,000 Scottish jobs supported by hunting had not been thought through.

'Careful scrutiny'

Ministers may end up supporting the Bill once they have studied the details but MSPs on the government side will still be free to follow their conscience.

The legislation is expected to be subjected to careful scrutiny by the parliament's Rural Affairs Committee, which mean it is unlikely to be speeded into law.

The executive has indicated it will not obstruct the measure but equally will not want to delay its programme of key legislation in areas like education.

The SNP's Tricia Marwick, regional MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, has agreed to co-sponsor the bill and supporters are hoping for further cross-party backing.