September 19, 2016
New Conservative Government May Bring Vote on Hunting Act
UK Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has consistently pledged to bring a free vote in Commons to overturn the hunting ban. It was part of her election plank as she sought to become Prime Minister in last summer’s election. Although she lost her election bid to current Prime Minister Theresa May, because Leadsom is head of the department in charge of the issue, she is still positioned to fulfil her pledge. David Cameron made the same election promise before he became Prime Minister, but he never did bring the matter to a vote, fearing it would fail. The odds against are still overwhelming, but many Tories now fear that low ambition guarantees failure. Current Prime Minister Theresa May has spoken in favor of foxhunting in the past, and her stiff support for other contentious government issues has given new hope to many Conservatives who wish to square off on the foxhunting issue. They chafe under the Hunting Act which they see as a Labour-inspired class assault on the countryside in the guise of animal welfare. Tony Blair was Prime Minister at the time the Hunting Act was passed and implemented. Blair managed to leave hunting “banned and not quite banned,” and he admitted in his recent memoir that the Hunting Ban was a mistake. There appears to be renewed resolve among some well-placed Conservatives to force a vote on the issue, win or lose. Posted September 20, 2016
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The Best Day…On the Planet…Ever
Jackets excused, we started out on this warm early autumn day by hacking left out of the drive and down Lees Mill Road. Passing behind one of the houses a man was bent over a small back door garden while an elderly man watched from the adjacent deck. Although he looked our way the elderly man did not respond to our waves, standing with his arms slack at his sides. The younger man pointed at us and, barely audible, I heard him say we were “looking for the fox.” Closing in on the one year anniversary of the death of my father-in-law, it was a bittersweet scene. Much more sweet than bitter to witness this quiet exchange between what I imagined to be an adult son and his father.
Approaching the creek crossing we heard a whipper-in’s view halloa ahead of us. Shortly after that we heard third field’s view; they had crossed the creek the usual way by the machine shed. The run lasted roughly an hour-and-a-half. At one point there were simultaneous views on opposite sides of the strip of corn running alongside Doss Garland Drive. There were views being called all over the place. Hearing them ahead of me I rushed up only to miss them. Second Field was viewing behind me, and I missed those, too.
