News from Sheffield Labour

Back the hunting ban this Boxing Day

Paul Blomfield, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, is today helping to launch a national campaign to support the ban on hunting wild animals with dogs. The ‘Back the Ban’ campaign is being launched on Boxing Day – the old centre of the fox hunting calendar – by the Environment Minister Hilary Benn and a host of celebrity supporters including Tony Robinson and Patrick Stewart.

This is the 5th year since the Hunting Ban Bill was passed. But the Hunting Act is under threat as pro-hunt activists are preparing to spend thousands of pounds backing Tory MPs and candidates committed to bringing back the cruel sport. The Tory’s animal welfare spokesperson in Parliament has made it clear that the Tories are elected at the General Election introducing legislation to bring back hunting with dogs would be a priority.

The Tory stance is in spite of overwhelming public support for the ban. A recent Ipsos Mori poll revealed three quarters of the population do not want hunting with dogs to be made legal again. The same poll showed that 72% of the rural population want to keep the ban.

Paul Blomfield said: “For David Cameron, getting the Act repealed is a top priority. He used to go hunting, until his PR advisers told him not to; he even talked about hunting in his first ever speech to Parliament; and he has said that if he becomes Prime Minister he will get rid of the hunting ban as soon as possible.

“But, like the vast majority of people in Sheffield who care about animal rights, I think that barbaric act of letting dogs tear foxes to pieces with their teeth shouldn’t be allowed to return to our countryside. That’s why I’m supporting www.backtheban.com and I’m urging everyone else who supports the ban to sign up to the ‘Back the Ban’ campaign too.

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:

“If you think the Tories have changed, their views on fox hunting with dogs make it absolutely clear that their priorities haven’t. They know the public doesn’t agree with them on this, but they are determined to go ahead if they are given the chance. That’s why we need to continue to campaign to stop this barbaric ’sport’ from returning to our land and to join www.backtheban.com.”

Other news from Sheffield Labour

• Angela Smith MP welcomes dangerous dogs announcement - 10 March 2010
• MPs plan post-election 'Rail in the North' group - 9 March 2010
• Government should not be in this fishy business - 9 March 2010