Robert Marshall-Andrews

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Hunting ban must prevail

Bob Marshall-Andrews QC MP spoke up strongly today in favour of a ban on hunting after peers in the House of Lords made a last ditch attempt to enable hunting to continue under licence this week.

Bob Marshall-Andrews said, "Allowing hunting to continue, as wanted by the House of Lords is unacceptable to me and to the majority of MPs in the House of Commons. I will work to keep the government true to its pledge to resolve this issue by including the Hunting Bill in the next session of parliament. Finally then, the use of the Parliament Act will put an end to this brutal and unnecessary pastime."

A huge majority of MPs from across the party divide voted in July 2003 to pass the Hunting Bill to outlaw all forms of fox, deer, mink and hare hunting and coursing. Now, after months of debate and deliberation, the House of Lords is trying to reverse this democratic decision by voting to allow hunting to continue.

MPs in the House of Commons have repeatedly voted for a complete ban on the barbaric practice of hunting with dogs, reflecting the views of the public at large. Indeed, a MORI poll in December 2002 found that 80% of people believe hunting is cruel.

Furthermore, Lord Burns' Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs concluded in 2000 that hunted animals suffer both during the later stages of the chase and the kill. The freedom to inflict suffering should not be a freedom encouraged by an enlightened nation.

"As the unelected chamber once again fails to accept that the will of the people weighs greater than that of tradition, it now falls upon the government to re­introduce the Hunting Bill in the next parliamentary session, when the Parliament Act applies and a ban on hunting with dogs can finally become law."