Hunt opponent to head RSPCA

Ms Ballard, former Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton, Somerset, is to take up her job as Director General next month.

Her appointment to the £90,000-a-year post comes as the charity struggles to recover from catastrophic losses on the Stock Exchange.

But the appointment of Ms Ballard, 49, who replaces Peter Davies, has sparked a row within the RSPCA.

Jacq Denham, a member of its ruling council, has resigned in protest, claiming the former MP did not have the management expertise to turn around the charity.

Ms Denham has also threatened to cut the society out of her will.

Ms Ballard has been a long-time animal welfare campaigner and was a co-sponsor of the Private Member's Bill to ban hunting.

She also co-sponsored Maria Eagle's Fur Farming Bill that led to a government ban on fur farms in the UK.

She was also a fierce opponent of battery hen cages and lost her seat at last year's election by just 235 votes.

A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance greeted the appointment with dismay and said: "We regret the fact that the RSPCA has appointed someone whose policies move it away from its traditional animal welfare concerns towards more extensive attacks on fieldsports."

Freeze on expenditure

Earlier this month the RSPCA's governing council announced a complete freeze on capital expenditure in an attempt to staunch its losses.

The charity shelved plans for a new animal centre at Felledge in County Durham, a clinic in Merthyr Tydfil and a major rebuilding of Birmingham animal hospital.

They also announced plans to halve the number of press officers and lay off 10 part-time market inspectors.

The charity lost £8.8m last year and £7m this year, mainly as a result of falling share prices.

Cuts will have to be made to the RSPCA's budget and Ms Ballard's record as a former deputy leader of Somerset County Council in 1993 who forced through budget cuts clearly played a part in her getting the job.

Ms Ballard said: "I have had a life-long commitment to animal welfare and relish the challenge of leading such a well respected and established charity as the RSPCA.

"I look forward to bringing about real improvements to the lives of thousands of animals and my experience and expertise in campaigning will give the RSPCA an even stronger edge."