Would you want u-turn on hunting ban?

[Seagull Stew]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090601/tuk-no-hunting-ban-u-turn-say-voters-6323e80.html

Apparently one survey says 70% of people wouldn't want a Conservative Government to allow a free vote on repealing the ban. But then that survey was carried out on behalf of the League Against Cruel Sports.

So would you want a Tory Government to turn back the clock on hunting?

 

[Dr Q]

Since getting in to Gundogs and the working side of dog ownership, my previously strong anti-fox hunting views have waned a little. I find the history behind the foxhound packs and the bloodlines very interesting. However, its the toffs on horses side of things that I still find nauseating. Virtually all the hunts continue with drag hunting etc and are still well supported, so I see no real reason to change the law as it currently stands.

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

However, its the toffs on horses side of things that I still find nauseating.

Well done for your honesty, but this is the crux of the issue, isn't it? Most hunting opponents will deny it, but what they hate more than anything else is their perception that hunting is a predominently upper class activity. But should this sort of vindictiveness be the basis for any legislation?

Before anyone flames me, I'm not a fan of hunting.

 

[itszamora]

I don't personally care for hunting, but I don't have a problem with other people doing it if they want to.

 

[DJ Leon]

Nope, killing animals for fun is wrong and doesn't belong in a civilised society. Couldn't care less what class of people do it.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Well done for your honesty, but this is the crux of the issue, isn't it? Most hunting opponents will deny it, but what they hate more than anything else is their perception that hunting is a predominently upper class activity. But should this sort of vindictiveness be the basis for any legislation?

Before anyone flames me, I'm not a fan of hunting.

The Penshurst Hunt is very close to us and I know people who hunt and the Hunt Master (or whatever his title is) and none of them are toffs. He is a farmer and most of the people work on the land or in country based jobs. They are all riders and their common interest is riding horses in the countryside. I'm sure their are toffs but our local hunt is definitely not a toffs sport.

 

[severnside gull]

as the current law is almost universally ignored and police forces have admitted they can't do anything about it there seems little point

I'm sure we will retain the existing ban in order to appear a civilized society but that at some point in the distant future it will be quietly repealed

 

[Billy the Fish]

I don't personally care for hunting, but I don't have a problem with other people doing it if they want to.

Same as. There's more important things to worry about.

As has been said, most people won't admit it but the original vote was a labour class war against the toffs dressed up as animal rights.

 

[Brovion]

Don't give a toss one way or the other. It was a waste or parlimentary time imposing it an it will be a waste repealing it; surely there are more important things?

As was pointed out at the time it's proving difficult to enforce (there have only been an handful of prosecutions) and, IMO, enforcing it is a massive waste of police resources as they've got more important things to do. The current situation is probably ideal as it's banned in principle but not banned in practise - a bit like driving at 80mph on motorways.

 

[bhaexpress]

Well done for your honesty, but this is the crux of the issue, isn't it? Most hunting opponents will deny it, but what they hate more than anything else is their perception that hunting is a predominently upper class activity. But should this sort of vindictiveness be the basis for any legislation?

Before anyone flames me, I'm not a fan of hunting.

Have to be honest I agree totally, I'm not a fan of it either but there is a traditional 'dislike' of Huntin' types.

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

The Penshurst Hunt is very close to us and I know people who hunt and the Hunt Master (or whatever his title is) and none of them are toffs. He is a farmer and most of the people work on the land or in country based jobs. They are all riders and their common interest is riding horses in the countryside. I'm sure their are toffs but our local hunt is definitely not a toffs sport.

Agreed - that's why I said that the perception of opponents is that this is an activity for the upper classes. As you rightly say, it seems to involve people from all parts of society.

 

[Mackenzie]

The Penshurst Hunt is very close to us and I know people who hunt and the Hunt Master (or whatever his title is) and none of them are toffs. He is a farmer and most of the people work on the land or in country based jobs. They are all riders and their common interest is riding horses in the countryside. I'm sure their are toffs but our local hunt is definitely not a toffs sport.

Is 100% correct, not just fo your local hunt but nationally.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I'm surprised nobody's used the words "poor defenceless animal" yet. At the time it caused a massive binfest on here. Plenty of time left in theday I suppose

 

[withdeanwombat]

70% of respondants,so the toffs ask each other and surprisingly get a yes answer.

I find the hunting debate a monumental bore played out between the daft and the dangerous.

Surely the country has ....erm.....bigger fish to fry rather than dwell on anachronisms?

Still,if the Toffs Party oozes back into power,this is what we can expect.

 

[1066gull]

wont make a blind bit of difference. stays the same, and people will still hunt. yes its illegal, but police have bigger priorities than to chance people on horseback in wet fields.

the less people their are smashing up the fields, the better

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

70% of respondants,so the toffs ask each other and surprisingly get a yes answer.

I find the hunting debate a monumental bore played out between the daft and the dangerous.

Surely the country has ....erm.....bigger fish to fry rather than dwell on anachronisms?

Still,if the Toffs Party oozes back into power,this is what we can expect.

Read it again. The survey was carried out by the League Against Cruel Sports (ie not toffs) and the 70%, apparently, did NOT want a future Conservative government to offer MPs a free vote on the issue (ie presumably not toffs either than).

However, you're quite right to be suspicious of the outcome of research that has been commissioned to produce a headline for the sponsoring organisation!

 

[binky]

The current situation is probably ideal as it's banned in principle but not banned in practise - a bit like driving at 80mph on motorways.

I would say this situation is far from ideal.
To take your analogy a bit further.

Suppose you are driving along at 80 mph, in a big long stream of other vehicles.
Safety in numbers. Everybody is doing it. And while you are technically breaking the law, it all feels very normal.
Then out of the blue, comes the law enforcement officers. They selec YOU as being the lawbreaker, herd you out of the stream of traffic, and give YOU a ticket. This seems pretty unfair, but justifiable to the police because the culprit was riding a motorcycle as opposed to all the other vehicles which were cars.

Similarly for fox hunting. The (highly politicised) police, now have a mandate to select a hunt, or indeed an individual who is or has hunted, and legally harrass them.

These kind of laws are no good for the cohesion of society, for trust in the police, and ultimately for the whole proces of law and order in this country.

Government should be in the business of making few laws, making good laws, and ensuring they are enforceable.
The hunting law is none of these things, and should be repealed, along with the requirement for taxi drivers in london to carry a bale of hay.

In fact, the next government could do worse than campaign on a platform of repealing 90% of all laws.

 

[pork pie]

I would definitely vote for the stupid law to be repealed.

However, it may be too late as a number of the main hunt stables and packs have already been lost, with horses and hounds put down, and people made redundant.

Stupid law made by stupid left-wing city dwellers who do not know what the f*** they are talking about.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I think they should make it fairer so that on alternate times the foxes get to rip the hunters limb-from-limb.

Maybe not. As said above - hunting and killing for the sake of it is just not right in a civilised society. Keep the ban, I say, and enforce it properly.

 

[Mellotron]

This argument ends very simply;

Killing for fun IS wrong.

It's that basic.