Michael: Cat and mouse

The rural affairs minister has come out of hiding to confront critics of his hunting policy.

Alun Michael was set to meet the Countryside Alliance on Wednesday at the annual conference of the Association of National Parks Authorities in Exeter.

The talks follow days of farcical cat and mouse games, with the minister forced to cancel a series of engagements over fears his security would be compromised by protestors.

Pro-hunters are angry that the government last week pushed a total ban on the sport through the Commons.

Occasionally violent clashes during a demonstration in Parliament Square and the high profile security breach in the Palace of Westminster increased concern over the nature of the protests.

Michael had to scrap a boat trip earlier in the week after a small flotilla off the Dorset coast threatened to pursue him.

And over the weekend he was forced to abandon his planned countryside launch of the changes to right to roam laws for similar reasons.

But on Wednesday he told the BBC that it was now "business as usual as far as I am concerned".

"I must make the point that not only has my door been open to the Countryside Alliance and its leadership on a very, very regular basis, but also every time there have been protests I have met representatives," the minister said.

"It is very difficult to have an intelligent conversation with several hundred people shouting at you, but I have always said I am prepared to meet a small number of representatives and have a dialogue.

"But I do hope when that happens they listen to me as well as me listening to them."

However Alliance South West regional director Alison Hawes accused Michael of avoiding critics "like the plague".