THE ban on fox-hunting with dogs was ‘pointless and driven by class warfare and political spite’, according to Burton’s Tory MP.
Andrew Griffiths spoke after backing comments by Agriculture Minister James Paice, who said the legislation ‘simply didn’t work’ and highlighted the coalition’s pledge to hold a free vote in Parliament on repealing the law when time allowed.
“It’s a pointless piece of legislation which was driven by class warfare and political spite,” Mr Griffiths said.
“It’s not working and we should look at what alternatives are available to better regulate a traditional British pastime.
“There are many MPs on all sides of the House who think this piece of legislation has not worked and that we should take a very simple vote.
“But I don’t want to spend months and months wasting time. I think we should do it very quickly and very simply to decide it once and for all.
“There are a lot more pressing things to do.” Hunts are still allowed to carry out ‘drag hunts’ where the hounds chase a scented lure rather than live quarry.
Mr Griffiths spoke after joining the ‘record’ crowds who attended the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt’s Boxing Day meet at Blithfield Hall.
“That demonstrates the level of support for what is a traditional British countryside pursuit,” Mr Griffiths said.
“It’s part of our tradition and history and I think the vast majority of the general public want that to continue.”
Mr Griffiths said the Hunting Act was a piece of ‘bad legislation’ and claimed that former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair had acknowledged it was ‘one of the biggest mistakes of his time in office’.
However, the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), which campaigned for the introduction of the ban and wants it to remain, said Mr Griffiths was talking ‘absolute nonsense’.
“The law was brought about because of animal welfare reasons,” said spokesman Louise Robertson.
“In that respect it’s worked because it’s taken away the horrific cruelty whereby people are allowed to take packs of dogs into the countryside, to allow them to chase a wild animal to the point of exhaustion and then rip it to shreds, just for sport.”
There had been 180 prosecutions under the act, which was ‘testament to the fact it’s working’, she said.
LACS research had shown a free vote of MPs would yield a 70-strong majority in favour of keeping the ban, Ms Robertson said.
“If the vote was held tomorrow, we would say ‘bring it on’.”
A poll by the group had also found that just six per cent of people thought a free vote on repeal was the most important of a selection of coalition animal welfare commitments.
