Hunt supporters target Exeter MP
PLANS by hunt supporters to campaign for the Tories in the forthcoming General Election to unseat Exeter’s Labour MP Ben Bradshaw will fail, opponents claim.
The move to rally the fox hunting community has been seized on by Mr Bradshaw as showing the Conservative Party “has not changed one bit”.
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MP Ben Bradshaw
His Tory challenger Hannah Foster has sought to play down the development, arguing that hunting is not a mainstream issue in Exeter, and there were other more important pressing topics such as the economy.
Hunt organisers have told supporters that the rural pursuit needs a Conservative victory, with party leader David Cameron set to allow MPs a free vote on lifting the hunting ban.
The pressure group Vote-OK, which seeks to punish MPs who voted to ban fox hunting, is said to be behind the campaign.
It is targeting 140 MPs who voted for the 2004 Hunting Act, which makes it illegal to use dogs to hunt down foxes and other wild animals. The hunts stay within the law by laying a scent trail for hounds to follow.
Exeter Labour Party organiser Eddie Lopez said: “Most Exonians abhor the cruelty of hunting foxes and deer with hounds and support the ban.
“In a recent survey of city voters we found a lot of undecided Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters who oppose hunting saying the issue could influence their vote.”
Mr Bradshaw said: “It’s great news hunts will be campaigning for my Conservative opponent. It shows that the Tory Party has not changed one bit.”
He said he was repeatedly harassed by hunt supporters when the ban went through Parliament, including being attacked outside a meeting at County Hall in Exeter.
Ms Foster has said previously she “doesn’t support any field sport where the animal is not eaten or used, where the sport is killing an animal without purpose”. But she felt the hunting legislation was “unworkable”.
She added: “My conscience would be to for repeal this law and recommend a regulatory or licensed hunting system to promote fox control as humanely as possible.”
9 Comments
by Exonian, Exeter
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 10:24PM
“James, as an ardent Tory supporter it is perhaps understandable that simple mathematical ability eludes you.
Ben Bradshaw's latest newsletter devotes almost a page to the economy (the state of which - you might also have failed to notice - was caused by an international banking crisis) and less than one-sixteenth of a page to hunting.”
by yesboy1, exeter
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 3:27PM
“get rid of this government and get the conservatives in. hunting should be left to those that live in the countryside and not a bunch a fox lovers that live in towns.”
by harvey, exeter
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 3:25PM
“sooner this government goes the better for everyone. people should leave the countryside management to those living there. conservatives will drop the ban out on common sense grounds. call the election now”
by SKoM, Cullompton
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 3:18PM
“Keith
To paraphrase 'Dave', he has 'promised' a free vote and as much time as is needed to overturn the ban.
So basically they'll keep voting until you see it his way!
Mind you, that promise was made over a week ago....
BTW Nick - bigotry, political chicanery and the prejudices of a minority were the very reasons that hunting with dogs was not banned along with other blood'sports' many years ago.
Your 'friends' in the hunting fraternity are likely to buy plenty of votes for Mr B”
by Rob, Polsloe - Exeter
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 3:04PM
“Well done Ben, it's complete madness to spend more money and parliamentary time trying to reverse the hunting ban only so a few people can enjoy the glory of a kill.
The fox population was never controlled from hunting by hounds but rather by the gun. The argument that hunts would disappear and rural jobs would be lost by the ban has also been proved unfounded.”
by Keith, Redhills
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 2:09PM
“Hunt supporters should not get too excited about this news. A free vote for MP's is unlikely to see a majority vote in favour of overturning the ban since most are based in urban seats and will care little for the wishes of rural communities.”
by Nick Singer, SE UK
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 12:49PM
“"Hunting was banned because of...."
What utter nonsense! The majority do not care about hunting.
Hunting was banned after 700 hours of parliamentary time and millions of pounds had been wasted by a cowardly government that ignored facts - from its own independent inquiry - and submitted to the prejudices of a minority.
It was nothing to do with 'animal welfare' - as has now been admitted - and everything to do with bigotry, political chicanery and a craven surrender to stroppy Labour backbenchers.”
by Iain Butcher, Newton Abbot / South West
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 11:31AM
“I feel that this issue has malingered long enough.
Hunting was banned because of huge public disgust, and whether on not it might be reinstated is NOT a matter for MPs to decide alone.”
by James, Exeter
Tuesday, March 30 2010, 10:27AM
“Interesting that Mr Bradshaw also gave more space over to hunting in his latest newspaper than he did to the economy, jobs, or the the armed forces. I'm not a hunt supporter but I'm not interested in this while we are in such a fragile position in so many other ways. This is clearly an attempt to distract the electorate away from his governments destruction of the economy.
I havent heard one positive reason to vote for him, all I have heard has been is Tory bashing. Why should I vote for him on a single issue?
I saw today in the Western Morning News a large number of people in Exeter didn't know Ben was our local MP, after 13 years that speaks volumes!”