David Cameron abandons bid to relax hunting ban
The old fox hunting stone continues to limp the rural shoe. I suspect we will hear more about this as time rolls on. This article tells us:
But during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cameron said that, despite Conservative backing, the Coalition is unlikely to push ahead with the change.
“I regret to say I don’t think there will be government agreement to go forward,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr Cameron indicated that his Lib Dem Coalition partners had refused to support the change in hunting rules.
It is also understood that a number of Conservative MPs, known as the Blue Foxes, were also arguing against any change in hunting laws.
Many of those Tories are in marginal seats and worry that being seen to focus on issues like hunting could drive away wavering suburban voters.
Advocates of the change say that it is needed to make efforts to control the fox population in rural areas more effective.
Farmers say attacks on lambs have been on the increase, signalling that limited pest control measures allowed under the Act are not working.
Hill farmers, who suffered devastating losses last spring as a result of the late snow, say a change in the law is desperately needed to fend off a growing threat to their livelihood.