Today's Tanatside Hunt Boxing Day meet at the Royal Oak in Welshpool was cancelled because of weather conditions. But the Hunt considered it important to proclaim that the great hunting tradition of our countryside is in rude health. So a few horses and the hounds turned up to entertain and reassure supporters. As has been my practice since Parliament passed the utterly spiteful Hunting with Dogs Act, I joined them as a declaration of my support. There were around 500 people lining the street, most filled with a quiet contempt for prejudiced legislators.
And let them not think that time will shrink the determination of country people to stand up and be counted. Never was an Act of Parliament passed which fermented discord between town and country more ingrained in the soul of the land. And there will always be new generations to carry forward the anger and resentment into future generations.
Today's Tanatside Hunt Boxing Day meet at the Royal Oak in Welshpool was cancelled because of weather conditions. But the Hunt considered it important to proclaim that the great hunting tradition of our countryside is in rude health. So a few horses and the hounds turned up to entertain and reassure supporters. As has been my practice since Parliament passed the utterly spiteful Hunting with Dogs Act, I joined them as a declaration of my support. There were around 500 people lining the street, most filled with a quiet contempt for prejudiced legislators. 
And let them not think that time will shrink the determination of country people to stand up and be counted. Never was an Act of Parliament passed which fermented discord between town and country more ingrained in the soul of the land. And there will always be new generations to carry forward the anger and resentment into future generations.
5 comments:
So when is your Party going to fulfil its pledge to hold a vote and allow parliamentary time for repeal? Or has this been superseeded by the coalition?
Anon - Sorry but I don't know when the Coalition Government will hold this vote to repeal. For months, the response I've been giving to those who have contacted me is that the Government has no desire or intention to divert focus from tackling the mess which our public finances were left in by Labour. There are two interesting points which the pro-hunting lobby need to consider. Firstly whether there is a majority of MPs in favour of repeal. And secondly, whether it may be better for Government simply to declare the Hunting with Dogs Act as a legal nonsense undeserving of support, and just leave it rot on the statute book - in a very untidy British compromise!!
Glyn...As you know the Hunting with Dogs Act as passed by Westminster only applies to England and Wales. In the minds of most people in Wales, rural affairs is governed by our own minister. Will you bring forward any amendment to the Hunting with Dogs Act to allow the devolved administration to decide policy, as with most other issues in the countryside ? I think you might get a few more of those MPs on the those benches that sit opposite you to support such a measure.
anon - complex point which requires research. As I remember it, while the Act was a matter for Westminster when it was passed, it would have been possible to devolve 'secondary legislation' parts of it to the Assembly via what are usually referred to as 'framework powers'. The example I wanted to push for was the number of dogs allowed for 'flushing out'. At the time I was discouraged from making this an election issue by representatives of the pro-hunting side, which I found hugely disappointing. So I dropped the idea. Don't think that granting law making powers to the Assembly would make any difference. Some research needed.
As an avid supporter and participator of all country sports, I think it would be in everyone's best interests to leave this 'law' as it is. As it stands, the act is full of loopholes which is leaving us to enjoy our sport without much hindrance - the police are too under resourced to bring hunters to book anyhow.
If this law was repealed by the Conservatives, then somewhere along the line, when a Labour government regained power, it would ban it again, but with no loopholes or ways around.
Blair knew exactly what he was doing in getting an act drawn up which, on the face of it banned hunting with dogs, and appeased his back benchers (who wanted revenge on country folk for the mines being closed down), while at the same time left hunts to carry on much the same as they had done in the past.
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