A free vote in Parliament is needed to sort Hunting Act
I WOULD very much take issue with Ivor Annetts' recent letter about the Hunting Act, Majority know ban is correct, Points of view, January 14.
Mr Annetts does not correctly depict public opinion regarding this law. Recent polling shows that far from the majority wanting the status quo only 45 per cent of respondents supported it with 49 per cent supporting either outright repeal or the Conservative policy of a free vote as the way forward.
If we examine the views of anti-hunt MPs we can see that they are also similarly divided. Significant numbers have signed two competing Early Day Motions. One of these supported Mr Annetts' view that the problem is a lack of enforcement by police, the other claimed that the law needed amendment to make it enforceable. Some befuddled MPs even signed both!
This confusion and division extends right into the hard core of anti-hunt activists. The League Against Cruel Sports insists the law is sound and the exemptions provide for humane pest control. Protect Our Wild Animals insist it is flawed, anomalous, and bans flushing out which is a 'harmless' activity'.
A Labour supporting group Support The Hunting Act (Ban) UK, which claims to have considerable influence within the party, recently added its voice to those critical of the law.
They are calling for flushing out to be completely banned, a move they claim would make trail hunting impossible. Trail hunts are currently legal because they do not involve the hunting of a wild mammal. Trail hunts occasionally accidentally flush out the odd wild mammal. They want to make it illegal for any animal to be accidentally flushed out by a dog.
A statement on their website from a supporter and endorsed by them neatly summarises their position: "If we banned all flushing out then we would be able to prosecute all the trail hunters as soon as an animal was flushed out without having to prove that they were hunting."
The RSPCA takes the opposite view and recently informed me they do not even oppose deliberate flushing out.
The Government recently admitted to me that it simply does not know what the law on flushing out currently is. I have recently written to Gordon Brown asking him to explain its position on what it should be and he has informed me that he has instructed the Environment Secretary Hilary Benn to do so.
The truth about the Hunting Act is that it is a mess. The Labour Party knows this and should acknowledge as much immediately.
It spent 700 hours getting this law through, if it was worth all that time, it is worth a few more hours more to sort out the mess it has made of it.
We need a free vote in Parliament on the way forward followed with a whipped Bill, in Government time, to avoid the ridiculous amount of time wasted on the issue.
Giles Bradshaw Rose Ash
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by Tony, Exmoor
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 10:59AM
“AR2048, I am surprised at your belief that all laws are 'right'. Old Wedgy Benn made a statement once ;'All progress is made by people deciding to break absurd laws'. Well the hunting Act is certainly absurd, as well as being equivalent to the prejudice and ignorance surrounding witch trials a few hundred years ago. If Parliament overturns this law it will be a moral progress into the 21st century from the barbarism of the dark ages.”
by AR2048, London
Friday, January 29 2010, 12:22PM
“Tony - I certainly do not accept that the Hunting Act 2004 is counterproductive regarding animal welfare, that must be simply wishful thinking on your part :)
The principle of the law is absolutely correct - that people break laws and get away with it does not mean those laws should be repealed,..it means the laws have to be strengthened.
This is true of not only the Hunting Act but other laws too. For example, it has been in the news recently that there are only a very few convictions under rape law...I'm sure you would agree that the answer is definitely not to repeal law against rape.
The Hunting Act is, finally!, in place, this is significant moral progress which can, and will, be built upon.
Tthe CA/pro-hunt extremists need to step into the 21st century and stop hankering after some bygone age.”
by Tony, Exmoor
Friday, January 29 2010, 10:41AM
“AR2048, at least you appear to accept that the Hunting Act 2004 is counterproductive regarding animal welfare. There are certainly more maimed and injured animals dying cruel deaths on Exmoor, because hounds are unable to 'mop them up'. Hence my comment on 'experience'. What I meant was that any open minded person, whether MP or not, has become aware that there are all sorts of flaws in the Hunting Act, and it is an example of thoroughly bad law. It must therefore be repealed. Just because a bunch of politically driven Labour MPs voted it in on grounds which had nothing to do with animal welfare, does and did not make it 'right'.”
by AR2048, London
Thursday, January 28 2010, 10:50PM
“Tony, from where do you think the Parties, including the Conservatives of course, are getting donations?
Any 'AR' donation was a tiny, tiny drop in the ocean along with many other, opposing view, drops along with huge donations.
Perhaps you should spare a few minutes to look up who funds the Conservatives...and how they will benefit from Cameron's policies.
I note you have not commented re the content of my post, ie that we have already had several 'free votes'.
In the CA poll 30% wanted a free vote, ie they are happy for MPs to decide either way....
Cameron's 'free vote' promise is a diversion, a nonsense, MPs already have had several free votes and that's why we have the ban.
In the CA poll only 19% wanted repeal of the ban...that's why the CA had to combine the repeal and free vote results, to give a pretence there is far more pro-hunt support from the public than there actually is...
but I've no doubt the public can see right through the CA spin and do know the truth.”
by Tony, Exmoor
Thursday, January 28 2010, 10:42AM
“AR2048, with experience comes knowledge. Now that we all know that the so-called animal rights lobby has given money to the government to try to get their agenda passed, and that banning hunting has been counter-productive in animal welfare, then we also know this is just a stupid political socialist hobby-horse. It is not founded on any real truth about hunting, so I believe the British people will recognise that and repeal this gross Act of injustice.”