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Hunting debate hots up

Animal welfare groups and country sports lovers held separate vigils outside Downing Street in a bid to sway the decision in their favour.

MPs are voting on whether to outlaw the traditional country pursuit of hunting with hounds. The Bill was introduced by Labour MP Mike Foster, but the Government has not given it extra parliamentary time and it is unlikely to become law.

However, opponents of blood sports are hoping a massive majority in the House of Commons in favour of the Bill will pile pressure on the Government to ban hunting before the next general election.

The Bill is expected to gain a majority of about 200 MPs, including many ministers, on a free vote.

As many as half the members of the Cabinet are expected to turn up and vote for the measure.

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who has spoken out in favour of banning hunting in the past, will be absent from the Commons because he is visiting Bosnia.

The Government angered many Labour supporters when it said it could not provide a slot in its parliamentary timetable to ensure the Bill would find its way to the statute book.

Downing Street sources said they were unaware of reports that ministers might seek to introduce a hunting ban at a later stage in the Parliament via an amendment.

On Thursday the Government's Chief Whip Nick Brown met Brian Davies, head of the Political Animal Lobby, which gave more than £1m last year to Labour, and reportedly assured him that further opportunities to ban hunting would be provided if the Bill failed.

Mr Foster, who is MP for Worcester, met some of his celebrity supporters, including astronomer Sir Patrick Moore and comedian Craig Charles, on Thursday night and is confident of a good turnout of MPs for Friday's vote.

"I am optimistic because we will have an overwhelming endorsement on Friday, a massive number of MPs from all party sources and that is what will carry this Bill and more importantly carry this campaign forward to ban hunting with dogs," he said.

"I do hope the Labour Government are going to do all they can to make this come about. A lot of people have given a lot of time and effort to make sure this comes about," Mr Charles said.

Backbenchers have been inundated with post on the issue.

Andrew Mackinlay, Labour MP for Thurrock in Essex, says he has received almost 300 letters supporting the Bill and only a handful opposing it.

But Mal Treharne, of the Countryside Alliance, says most MPs do not understand the consequences of banning fox and stag hunting.

He says deer in particular could be forced to the point of extinction in the Quantocks and the Mendips in Somerset because farmers would resort to shooting them to keep their numbers down.

Earlier this week country sports supporters published photographs of showing a pile of dead stags, which they said had been culled by farmers in Somerset.

Kevin Saunders, of the League Against Cruel Sports, claimed the huntsmen's argument was a red herring and called the cull a "callous and vengeful attack."

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Internet Links

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British Field Sports Society

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