Theresa May announces she wants to bring back fox hunting

[T_i_B]

Although I was never in favour of banning it in the first place, I can think of more important priorities for the government than this.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-fox-hunting-bring-back-ban-repeal-conservative-tories-general-election-rural-vote-a7726506.html

Theresa May has announced she hopes to bring back fox hunting.

During a visit to a factory in Leeds, the Prime Minister said: “This is a situation on which individuals will have one view or the other, either pro or against. As it happens, personally I have always been in favour of fox hunting, and we maintain our commitment, we have had a commitment previously as a Conservative Party, to allow a free vote.

It comes after revelations of a plot by pro-fox hunting campaigners to use a predicted Tory landslide at the general election to repeal the ban.

Tory Lord Mancroft, chairman of the Council of Hunting Associations, said a sizeable majority for Ms May could usher in a new era for fox hunting and a vote on the issue could be scheduled for as early as this year.

[LeftishBrit]

1. I have always opposed fox hunting - unless perhaps it's of Liam Fox!

Anyone who opposes May's policy can sign this petition:


https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-keep-the-ban-on-fox-hunting-06917243-6592-46bb-86df-ebc09a9b5b86

It also does make you wonder who her chief backers are.

[Denzil_DC]

2. It's not as if an effective ban is in place, or properly enforced!

It's not even a new commitment. It was in their previous manifesto, and what with one thing and another, they did nothing about it in the last parliament.

In the absence of a current manifesto to date beyond "strong and stable yadayadayada", I'd dismiss it as May making policy on the hoof and throwing some red meat to the base because she can't go into specifics about any other issues at the moment, but:

Secret Tory plot to bring back fox hunting revealed in leaked email

Tonight, the Mirror revealed fox hunt masters' secret plan to round up support for Theresa May, because they believe a Tory landslide would lead to the fox hunting ban being scrapped.

The email, sent to hunts across the country by Tory peer Lord Mancroft, urges hunt masters to “mobilise supporters” and campaign for pro-hunting Tories in marginal seats.

He said a Tory majority of 50 or more MPs should be enough to secure a repeal of the 2004 Hunting Act in a Parliamentary vote later this year.

“This is the chance we have been waiting for,” Lord Mancroft wrote.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/fox-hunt-masters-secretly-mobilising-10383202

Recent polls have shown substantial opposition to repealing the ban, ranging from 67% (YouGov, with a 10% higher proportion of UKIP voters than Tory voters against it) to 84% (Ipsos MORI).

It's given rise to some entertainment on Twitter, though:

Link to tweet

Rob Christopher @robNOTchris

.@mrjamesob foxes need to be killed. I need a prostate exam. I don't think either should be done by someone who is enjoying it. #foxhunting

Joking aside, I'd take issue with "foxes need to be killed", certainly in the uncontrolled and inefficient ways hunts do it. The farmers around where I am (generally sheep country) just shoot them if they're posing a problem. If you leave them alone and don't disrupt their social structure or habitats, the vixens generally keep the dogs in line and a stable population develops that can help to keep down vermin.

In the run-up to the 2005 ban vote, it was revealed that huntmasters were looking at ways to breed more foxes (some hunts have been revealed to already do this) as they were too thin on the ground. Given that the job losses touted as another justification last time this was voted on will have occurred by now, it's hard to see how that's a winning argument either.

[T_i_B]

4. This is something that has been noted....

...that foxes are less commonplace in the countryside since the hunting ban. Reason being that farmers are just shooting them and not leaving anything for the huntsmen's sport.

[tanyev]

3. Any of these keeners volunteering to be the fox?

[The King of Prussia]

5. Well that's confusing

Because it isn't fox hunting that's banned, it's the hunting of wild mammals with dogs. Is the ill-educated leaderene proposing that the hunting of foxes be legalised whilst, for example, the hunting of hares remains illegal?