Close watchers of this blog may have seen a new twitter feed appear in the side bar over the past couple of days called #WhatTheFox. It’s a campaign hashtag to prevent changes to the Hunting Act, the law through which hunting with dogs is banned in the UK.
Currently the law in the UK prohibits hunting with more than two dogs (which can flush, but not kill, the fox). The law as it stands is moderately effective, but the government plans to introduce a revised regulation which would remove the limit on the number of dogs. While in itself this doesn’t technically legalize hunting with dogs, it would mean that any hunt that does use dogs will find it much easier to evade the law since it would no longer be illegal to ‘flush’ foxes with large packs. There’s a good explanation of the impact of the proposed change on the League Against Cruel Sport website. In reality, the amendment to the Hunting Act is its effective repeal by the back door. It serves no other purpose.
Worse, this change is being introduced by what’s called a 10 Minute Rule Motion, which in practice means there will be no proper debate in Parliament about it. The government are treating it as a minor amendment, that doesn’t need proper scrutiny. They plan to do this next week, on 26th March 2014.
Many MPs will be opposed to the change which is one of the reasons why there won’t be a full debate unless we can rally support to defend the fox. If you are in the UK, please write to your MP via the link as a matter of urgency, urging them to oppose this disgraceful abuse of parliamentary process.
Please share, and feel free to re-use the photo on this page.
Edit: it appears the government may have had second thoughts and that the amendment will not be presented in the next two weeks. No guarantees beyond then though. 21/3/2014.
Edit #2: It seems the government has now accepted that it cannot push this amendment through, so for the moment the risk has faded.26/3/2014
Darko
19 Mar 2014Too bad the rest of us can’t sign a petition or something. Hope they won’t change anything!
Words
19 Mar 2014Darko, not sure how this will play out at all to be honest. It can’t make political sense to do this as so many people are opposed but this government are crazed when it comes to wildlife.
Cathy McNeil
19 Mar 2014Why isn’t this law protected, the majority of the British public opposed hunting with dogs, it should be put to another referendum if they want to change it.
Words
19 Mar 2014Cathy, it seems an insane thing to do. As I read it the badger cull was payback for the Hunting Act; and this amendment is payback for the failed badger cull.
Adele
19 Mar 2014This government will be remembered for its absolute contempt for everything that was most in need of its protection – wildlife and vulnerable people alike. (But of course banks must be treated with sensitivity…)
I will write to my MP but I’ve no doubt that he supports this amendment.
Words
19 Mar 2014Adele, my pro-cull Tory MP is absolutely opposed to fox hunting and will vote against this. If it turns to a genuine vote I can’t see it getting through, but there’ll be no debate and I’m not even certain it requires a vote as they are treating it as a regulation rather than a change to legislation. We’ll know soon enough.