Cameron drops plans to change foxhunting laws

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/26/david-cameron-drops-plans-ease-foxhunting-restrictions wrote:David Cameron has dropped plans to ease the foxhunting ban by allowing packs of dogs to flush out the animals before they are shot, after a coalition split over the issue.

The decision will disappoint upland farmers who argue they need to hunt with more than two dogs following an increase in attacks on lambs. However, it will mean the prime minister avoids a tricky Commons vote that would have opened up old fractures within the Conservatives about hunting, as well as infuriating animal rights activists.

Cameron gave up the plans after initially saying he had some sympathy with the argument for changing the law and subsequently promising a Commons vote.

"A group of Welsh and other MPs have looked at a particular problem of pest control in upland areas of Wales and other parts of the country. They are making a proposal. In the end, the House of Commons will be able to decide," he said in early March. The government had been expected to bring forward a form of secondary legislation called a statutory instrument to make the change.

But pressed on the rumours at prime minister's question time on Wednesday, Cameron said: "As you know, as I've said before at this dispatch box, proposals were made on a cross-party basis to [Owen Paterson, the environment secretary] about an amendment to the Hunting Act that would help in particular upland farmers deal with the problem of fox predation of their lands.

"That letter has been received and is being considered but I regret to say I don't think there'll be government agreement to go forward."

Many backbenchers, especially those with rural constituencies under threat from Ukip, are likely to be frustrated by the decision.

But others appeared relieved that the contentious issue would not be revived a year before the general election. Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, tweeted: "PM in effect just ruled out relaxation of foxhunting legislation. Good."

The coalition agreement promised a free vote on repealing the hunting ban but this was unofficially shelved in 2011 over signs that there were insufficient MPs to overturn the ban.

On Wednesday, the Times reported that Dan Rogerson, an environment minister, wrote to a constituent dismissing the idea that the coalition had agreed to a vote.

"I would like to reassure you that the Hunting Act is not under threat by the coalition government," he wrote. "The Conservative party may wish to amend the Hunting Act, but Liberal Democrats have not agreed to make any amendments or changes to the Hunting Act. No votes or pieces of secondary legislation have been agreed by the government."

The decision to drop the proposal was welcomed by the League Against Cruel Sports, which estimates at least 26 Tories opposed changing the hunting act.

Its chief executive, Joe Duckworth, said: "I am delighted that we have flushed out this back door attack on the hunting act. What they planned would have driven a coach and horses through the act. I am delighted we have thwarted this plot from a tiny but powerful hunting lobby."