Hunting Bill

The British government is expected to introduce a new hunting bill in Parliament that would abolish hare coursing and stag hunting. The hunting of fox with hounds would be allowed in parts of England and Wales under a licensing system. Once the bill is introduced and the content is known, it will surely provoke controversy. FHL will report on this story as it develops. Posted June 5, 2012

Notwithstanding the Prime Minister’s promise of a free vote in Parliament on the repeal of the Hunting Bill, the issue has been eclipsed by the more pressing problems of the British economy. Despite Countryside Alliance head Alice Barnard’s recent statements urging that Prime Minister David Cameron “right a great wrong” by overturning the ban, the Alliance has decided against making the repeal a priority issue at this time. One has to wonder if concern over the economy is just a smoke screen for backing away from the fight to repeal. The Telegraph states “that only a minority of MPs—253 out of 650—are committed to repealing the Act with at least 22 Conservative MPs among more than 300 who would vote against repealing the law.” Even amongst Tories—the constituency most strongly supportive of hunting—support for repeal is dwindling. For more details, read Andrew Hough’s article.