Countryside Alliance: Last hunting season under the ban?
Friday, 30 October 2009 12:00 AM
Hunts across the country are holding opening meets this Saturday at the start of what could be the last season under the Hunting Act. A new survey* from the Countryside Alliance has revealed that the campaign for repeal is receiving record levels of support.
There have been just 3 successful prosecutions against hunts in the 5 years the Act has been in force, the last of those was in January 2007. Meanwhile Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert has confirmed that a Conservative Government: "will give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a government bill in government time. There will be no watering down or retreat from this pledge, which will be repeated in our election manifesto." He added that parliament would be given an "early opportunity to revisit a discredited law".
Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart said:
"The Hunting Act is simply a bad law that has failed. The ban on hunting was driven by class politics and prejudice, not animal welfare or wildlife management, which is why it is completely unworkable. The courts have spent weeks wrestling with the law with one judge saying that the Hunting Act is '.far from simple to interpret or apply.'
"Getting rid of the Hunting Act would be a public benefit. It has wasted thousands of hours of police time and millions of pounds of taxpayers money. Opinion polls show that less than three in ten people think that the Hunting Act is working.
"David Cameron has consistently repeated the commitment to a free vote on a government bill in government time to repeal the Hunting Act and almost all Conservative MPs and candidates in marginal seats support repeal. Meanwhile increasing numbers of Labour and Lib Dem MPs accept the Hunting Act has failed. That is why this season could be the last season under the ban."
Notes
* The Countryside Alliance sent a survey to 300 hunts, and responses have included the following statistics:
93% of respondents report that they have the same number or more subscribers than before the Hunting Act came into force
61% feel that subscriptions will be boosted yet further by repeal of the Hunting Act.
89% of respondents report an increase in support from their communities since the Act.
73% of respondents have the same number of hounds as pre Act
10% have more hounds
76% have the same number of employees as pre-Hunting Act.
10% have more employees than pre-Act
6% have fewer employees
Representatives from the Countryside Alliance will be in attendance at the following meets TOMORROW from 10.30am.
North England
Percy
Steve Clark
07818 553 635
Eastern England
West Norfolk
Alice Barnard
07788 422 850
Midlands
North Shropshire
Clare Rowson
07900 820 819
Wales
Eryre
Barry Henderson
07799 018 073
Wales
South - TBA
Adrian Simpson
07785 975 773
South East
Old Surrey and Burstow
Tracey Casstles
07876 652 007
Southern
Vine and Craven
Sara Rutherford
07974 141 933
Wessex
Beaufort
Delly Everard
07970 229 507
South West
East Devon
Alison Hawes
07710 836 806
In addition, the following people will be on call all weekend for radio/print/TV interviews:
Tim Bonner: 07977 460 811
Chloe Finch: 07738 456 074
Please make all regional enquiries direct as above.
National enquiries to 0207 840 9220 (office hours) or:
Tim Bonner: 07977 460 811
Chloe Finch: 07738 456 074
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