Author Topic: Conservatives to hold a free vote on repealing fox-hunting ban  (Read 7026 times)

celeste

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That's enough to stop me ever voting Conservative >:(

I think foxhunters have a blood-lust, the ritual of smearing a new hunter's forehead with the


blood of the fox is archaic and would be absurd if it wasn't so distasteful









  Former stag hunter and fox hunter David Cameron is planning to allow a free
vote in the commons to repeal the ban on hunting with dogs act which was brought in by Labour. See article below (from Yahoo News) :


Story  -The Tories would use a government bill in government time to overturn the hunting ban, shadow environment secretary Nick Herbert has confirmed.

Mr Herbert said the Hunting Act was an "ass" as it had not saved the life of a single fox and hunt membership had actually increased.

Tory leader David Cameron has described the ban as a "farce" and said he would hold a Commons vote on repealing the act if the Conservatives were elected.

There was speculation in recent weeks that this would be done through a backbench private member's bill, which would have less chance of becoming law due to a lack of parliamentary time.

But writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Herbert said: "There is a compelling case to sweep this law off the statute book.

"That is why David Cameron has said that, if we are elected, we will give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a government bill in government time. There will be no watering down or retreat from this pledge, which will be repeated in our election manifesto."

He said some people argued that the Hunting Act was so ineffective that it might as well be left on the statute book. "But this is bad law, and bad laws should be repealed. While prosecutions have so far mainly failed, it is the professional hunt staff, whose livelihoods depend on their employment, who have found themselves in the dock and who still fear arrest, with all the worry and opprobrium that very public and drawn-out prosecutions entail."

Mr Herbert said Labour's hunting ban was an "act of spite" which "attempted to create two nations, dividing town and country".

He said: "It treated the rural minority with contempt, bordering on hatred. I will certainly vote for repeal, and so I hope will a majority of the new Commons. And with no more ado we can then move on, forging a positive agenda for conservation and the countryside, and putting the politics of prejudice and division behind us."

Labour MP Emily Thornberry said attempting to overturn the hunting ban was the "wrong battle for any serious government to fight in 2010". She said: "What does it say about Cameron that while Gordon Brown has thrown his full weight behind tackling the recession and securing the recovery for Britain, Cameron would throw his weight behind a move to bring back hunting?"

    
« Last Edit: 19:00:44, 20/10/09 by celeste »
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

BigBob

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its disgusting and so cruel!! why dont they stick to important things like the credit crunch, immigration etc etc.

celeste

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exactly

Cameron has said he will stick to his manifesto - he's getting it all out now so we can't say we didn't know what we are getting

If NuLabour could find someone to replace Gordon who was popular with the electorate before the next election, and is respected, they could get back in - I can't think of anyone, can you?
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

belladonna

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I agree it's a disgusting sport but then so many more Greyhounds are killed and injured every week in the UK and it's still Legal!

celeste

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I agree it's a disgusting sport but then so many more Greyhounds are killed and injured every week in the UK and it's still Legal!

I think you should get your MP onto this one, and anyone else who comes canvassing for votes >:(
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

belladonna

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Already have, he had already written to Parliament on behalf of other constituents. After the bombshell about that monster at Seaham in Durham was on the news for having the carcasses of around 10,000 dogs on his farm [he was shooting them for less that the vet would charge to euthanise them] there was a public outcry and now Defra have done a report into welfare.. it does not go far enough in my opinion.

belladonna

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Sorry, seem to hijacked your thread a little!

celeste

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What is Defra, bel - so that people who read the forum can know :)

don't worry about hijacking, it's all cruelty to animals
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

belladonna

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DEFRA is the Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs. They are very involved with Animal Health and Vet Agencys too. Look them up on Wikipedia. Quite a powerful force.  there are new welfare laws being introduced shortly, my MP says to look out for them, I've got the website somewhere, [I'll go and find it] with their recommendations.

belladonna

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Here you go celeste...www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/greyhound-welfare/index.htm 

belladonna

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As for Fox hunting, well, I think a lot of people DID vote against it just because the 'toffs' enjoy it. Why not just Drag hunt though? It's still a way to use the hounds and have a good hunt without the gory kill at the end.

celeste

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Showing my ignorance again - what do they do when they 'drag-hunt'?
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

belladonna

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Drag hunting is where they send someone out early in the day with a 'lure' [highly scented rag!] He drags it over hill and dale and the hounds follow that. Just the same really without all the old 'traditions' of blooding newcomers etc.

celeste

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found this on google:

Drag hunting is quite possibly the most fun you can have with your horse! It doesn't involve hunting an animal, instead the hounds follow an artificial scent - the drag - laid a few minutes earlier.

A drag hunt is similar in nature to a fast cross country ride and takes place over a predetermined course or line. A line can last anywhere between 3 and 4 hours and is made up of 4 to 8 legs, each covering a distance of around 3 to 4 miles. Between each leg the hounds, the riders and horses take a much needed breather.

Lines
Lines are usually on open countryside with jumps that include post and rail fences, stone walls, hedges and ditches. The aim is to ensure that both riders with grade A show jumpers and those with riding club horses can get round and enjoy the day, so big obstacles are never compulsory - there is always a way around them.

At the start of each leg the scent layers - or lines people - ride the leg first to lay the scent (which is painted on the horse's front hooves). The Huntsman, Whippers-in and hounds follow the scent and the Masters, Field Master and rest of the riders, referred to as the field, follow them.

Everyone meets up at the end of the leg and, after a short rest, the whole process starts again.

The preparation of lines is an enormous task. The person responsible for each line and their helpers have probably spent most of their spare time during the previous few weeks in order to organise the line.

Who Does What
It is the Huntsman's job to look after the hounds, to provide hounds for the day's hunting and to hunt the hounds on the day. During a hunt, the Huntsman is supported by Whippers-in who bring up stray hounds.

Our resident Huntsman is Ray Shaw. Ray's wife Margaret assists in the day-to-day running of the kennels including taking the role of amateur first Whip.

Also assisting the team as second Whipper-in is Danielle Gowrie.

To assist with controlling the field, the Masters - Alan Richards and Laurence Leavy - appoint a Field Master on the day. The field must always stay behind the Field Master and only jump obstacles allowed by the Field Master.

Our Hounds
The first pack of hounds consisted of a small draft from the High Peak Hunt as well hounds from the Royal Artillery Drag Hunt which was disbanding at the time.

We now carry out our own breeding policy and our current pack of English Foxhounds has been bred almost exclusively in our own kennels. The breeding of English Foxhounds has been documented for many years and the pedigree of each hound can be traced back to before 1800.

The hounds are kept in kennels in Woodseats Lane, Charlesworth.

When and Where We Hunt
Our hunting season is from early September to the end of the following March. We generally hunt every Saturday in these months with extra meets on Boxing Day and New Years Day.

We hunt over land occupied by over 250 farmers in an area bounded by Rochdale in the North, Leek in the South and Knutsford in the West.
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

celeste

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My mother put me off horse-riding she said it made girls bow-legged!


Have you ever read any of Jilly Cooper's books? ;D
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing