Should Fallon vote to reverse fox hunting ban?

By SevenoaksHol | Monday, May 17, 2010, 17:40

It may not be the first priority of the new Tory-Lib government, especially as the two parties are at polar ends on this one, but a vote to reverse the ban on fox hunting could be announced.

Should fox hunting be decriminalised?

The Conservative party – and David Cameron in particular – has made it clear they intend to hold a free vote on decriminalising fox hunting. Nick Clegg has previously come out against fox hunting, but has suggested he would support an open vote.

There is a large and vocal fraction of the Conservative party lobbying for a reversal on the law Labour brought in back in 2005.

Daniel Kawczynski, a pro-hunting Tory MP in Shrewsbury and Atcham said before the election that a Tory government’s credibility would be shot to pieces if a repeal didn’t happen early into parliament.

However not all Tories ‘run with the pack’, as mobilised on www.conservativesagainstfoxhunting.com.

According to publicwhip.org.uk, Michael Fallon MP voted strongly against the fox-hunting ban. Does this accurately represent the views of SevenoaksPeople? Tell us below.

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Comments

caught my cat in the garden squaring up to a fox the other day! nobody's told him there's a fox hunting ban - he was about to attack!! haha

By SevenoaksJoe at 19:09 on 26/05/10
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Surely there is a more humane way to deal with the fox population than hunting them with dogs? Fox hunting is a sport/hobby isn't it? Correct me if I'm wrong but are foxes not a predator of vermin, rats etc?

I saw a little lost baby fox today :( made me think of this.

I'm not the biggest fan of foxes. One killed my chickens last year and my rabbits when I was 7!! That's nature though isn't it? I guess 4 chickens in a coop is a bit like popping down to the local take away! I don't want to see them tortured though. :(

(This is my personal opinion not that of S&S as a company. Just realised that's my name on this forum!)

By SingandSign at 21:05 on 21/05/10
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can't say I'm much in favour of cruelty to animals in any form, but we surely need some way to control the fox population which is, from what I can see, frankly rampant. i guess these are two separate issues, but I believe the statistics will bear out that the unchecked increase in the fox population (both urban and rural) coincides with the time the hunting ban was introduced.

By rob7Oaks at 13:03 on 21/05/10
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On a personal level, I strongly oppose hunting with dogs (and I'm not an 'urbanite', I lived in rural Devon until I was 19) and would be horrified if the ban was overturned. I'm yet to find anyone locally that wants to see it brought back, but perhaps there are some people that agreed with Michael Fallon opposing the ban when it was first brought in?

If you're reading this and are in favour of decriminalising hunting with dogs, please do share your views.

There is, of course, an argument that when an MP is voted in, his constituents do so know his/her views, pledges and (if an incumbent) voting record. If Michael Fallon has previously been pro-hunting or anti- the hunting ban, then Sevenoaks consituents that voted for him can't really complain?

Or is that too simplistic?

I would hope that Michael Fallon takes into account the wishes of his constituents and takes those views with him into any open vote.

Holly

By SevenoaksHol at 12:47 on 21/05/10
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I would be interested if anyone is in favour of decriminalising fox hunting. I've yet to meet anyone who thinks this cruel 'sport' should not have been banned.

Personally I can't understand any of the arguments for fox hunting. In my opinion I can not see how chasing, traumatising and ripping to shreds an animal for fun can be justified. Are foxes a threat to livestock? The fact is fox hunters chase for pleasure not to help farmers. I'm quite sure there is a more humane way farmers could deal with this problem if indeed there is one.

I was thrilled when fox hunting was banned. I can't believe we are discussing decriminalising so soon. :(

By SingandSign at 22:05 on 20/05/10
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