Protect Our Wild Animals welcomes
the news that EDM 116, the House of Commons backbencher motion to preserve the highly popular Hunting Act 2004, has achieved
200 MP signatures. Rarely mustered by any Early Day Motion, 200 is generally held
to be the figure at which Governments are wise to sit up and take notice.
David
Cameron, a former hunter himself, and close to the Heythrop FH who are based in his Oxfordshire constituency, had committed his
Party very strongly to repeal of the Hunting Act, and the Conservatives received very strong financial and campaign
support from the hunting fraternity before and during the election.* After the General Election, it was unclear they
could win a Commons vote for repeal, so the Coalition agreement just promised an 'indicative vote'
to test the waters. Although expected to be held within the first year, this has not been brought forward and the Government
remains vague about when it may be. Figures
on MP voting intentions published by the League Against Cruel Sports suggest that the pro-hunt lobby would lose
a straight 'indicative' vote on repeal. But POWA warns against any complacency by supporters of the Hunting Act. It is certain that the pro-hunt forces -
which include most Tory Cabinet members - will change tactics and try to win over 'soft' opposition to repeal. This
will be by means of promising an 'independent' Hunting Regulatory Authority, which will be little more than a rubber
stamp for pre-ban hunt behaviour, and a 'Middle Way' Bill which will appear to outlaw cruelty to wild animals,
but will, in practice, be virtually valueless and unenforceable.**
Of this proposal wildlife expert John Bryant, a POWA Associate, has said: 'Unless
the law states clearly that the action of setting dogs onto animals such as deer, foxes and hares, that are chased for
long periods of time and which when caught are too large to be killed by a single bite or shake, is in itself cruel,
then such a Bill will be worthless in attempting to protect wild animals from cruelty.'
POWA
is, nevertheless, greatly concerned that such 'compromise' measures could lull enough MPs into thinking the Act
could safely be repealed.
Spokesman Alan Kirby said:- "We believe that the Hunting Act needs
to be strengthened to stop those hunters who circumvent the law, not repealed to reward them. POWA calls on all those
opposed to cruelty to wild animals to resist any attempt to weaken what protection the Act has afforded to the hapless victims
of hunting with dogs for 'sport'."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:-
* Research by POWA has established that subscribers and donors to Mr. Cameron's constituency Hunt, the Heythrop
Foxhounds, alone gave at least £1.7 million to the Conservative Party between 2001, when Cameron was elected, and the
2010 General Election. With minimal research facilities, POWA was able to identify well over £4 million in total donations
to the Conservatives coming from known hunters or strong hunting supporters in that period.
** The 'Hunting Regulatory Authority' is a proposal of the Committee to Repeal the Hunting Act. Prior
to the General Election this was chaired by Edward Garnier MP, who is now the Solicitor General. He has close links to Leicestershire's
prestigious fox hunts, including the Quorn. Nick Herbert MP, now a Home Office Minister in charge of, among other things,
policing, was also on the Committee. Herbert is an ex British Field Sports Society [now the 'Countryside Alliance']
official and was Master of a hare hunting pack for many years.
The 'Middle
Way' Bill will be an amended version of one presented by Lord Donoughue in the House of Lords and passed there late
in 2003. This was roundly rejected by the Commons in 2004. POWA maintains that the 'Middle Way' group, of which Lord
Donoughue is part, is little more than a 'moderate' front for hunting interests.
Contacts: Alan
Kirby 07972257467
John Bryant 07770788566
