The bid to change the law in England and Wales, which will be voted on next week, has prompted accusations that the Government is resorting to “desperate measures” to sneak fox hunting in through the back door.
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Traditional fox hunting with dogs is illegal across Britain, but in England and Wales, only two dogs can be used to flush out a fox so that a farmer or landowner can shoot it, while in Scotland an unlimited number of dogs can be used.
“In this we know that we have the support of the overwhelming majority of “hard working people” of all parties and I hope and expect that on a genuinely free vote and without behind-the-scenes pressure the measure will be defeated”.
The change, which would only affect England and Wales, will bring the law “into line” with current rules in Scotland according to the government. “This is what we’ve been lobbied on by our constituents and I think the right and responsible thing is to get together to discuss all these things and make a decision”.
However a message on the party’s website reads: “The party’s Westminster Group will not decide a position on this matter until such time as any proposed legislation can be studied and assessed”.
The Hunting Act, which came into force in 2005, bans the hunting of wild mammals including foxes, deer and hares, with dogs.
“Happily, there is a new breed of Conservative MP, representing rural and urban areas alike, that is more enlightened and that has the courage to stand up to those that rear foxes for the sole goal of hunting them and to condemn what is a thinly-disguised attempt to reintroduce a pastime that is unacceptable in a civilised and compassionate society through the back door”.
FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “While this would be a minor amendment to the Act, it will be a big step forward for Welsh livestock farmers”.
He added: “This is an excuse, Mr Paterson, to go out there and be fox hunters again”.
David Cameron has offered a free vote to repeal the law that bans the use of a full pack of hounds to kill foxes.
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“There are other alternatives which are getting worse and I wish people would take the emotion out of this”.
