The Countryside Alliance, a prominent think tank for rural issues, has criticised the Labour Party’s recent pledge to eliminate fox hunting and close existing loopholes within the Hunting Act as an unnecessary focus amidst many more pressing rural issues.
Speaking during a visit last weekend to a farm in Northamptonshire, Labour’s shadow environment secretary Steve Reed told The Sunday Times: “People have seen the images of packs of hounds getting into private back gardens, killing cats, ripping flocks apart. There’s not a majority in any part of the country that wants to see that continue.”
“The hunting ban was passed under the last Labour government, and it has been maintained under this Conservative government. So that seems fairly settled to me. But there are loopholes in it, drag hunting for instance, that allow hunting to continue, and foxes—and indeed domestic cats and other mammals—are still getting killed as a result of those loopholes and we will close those loopholes.”
Labour Accused of Having ‘No Understanding’ of Hunting
On Monday, Polly Portwin, who leads the Countryside Alliance’s Hunting Campaign, said in a statement, “Mr. Reed does not seem to have any understanding of what either trail or drag hunting entails and that they are currently lawful pursuits which involve the laying of a scent across the countryside for hounds to follow.”Ms. Portwin argues that these activities, which do not involve chasing wild mammals, are being unfairly targeted under the guise of wildlife and domestic animal protection.
The Countryside Alliance also warns that Labour’s proposals could threaten the future of hunting with hounds altogether, drawing parallels with the transformation of the initial 2002 Hunting Bill from a licensing system into a full ban.
“History suggests that a Labour government will not be in control of where that legislation ends up,” Ms. Portwin added, indicating the potential for a wide range of restrictive amendments to the Hunting Act.
Hunting ‘An Issue of Liberty’
Tess Wheldon, an analyst for rural policy at the Orthodox Conservatives Group, a prominent “small-c” conservative think-tank, told The Epoch Times by text: “Drag hunting is an issue of liberty and livelihood for rural people. It is not only a chance for rural communities to gather and enjoy traditions passed down through generations since the 1600s but also plays an important role in the rural economy.“The upkeep of kennels, hunt horses, transport, and the tourism that hunting brings in all feeds into work done by farriers, kennel-masters, vets, mechanics, and local businesses. The bottom line is that the countryside will suffer should hunting be banned.”
The Countryside Alliance also accuses Labour of using rural communities as “pawns” in a broader class culture war, highlighting a disconnect between the party’s professed respect for rural voters and its actions.
The Hunting Act of 2004, enacted under the previous Labour government led by Sir Tony Blair, initially sought to curtail fox hunting and related activities. While successive Conservative administrations have largely maintained the status quo, the act’s effectiveness and the presence of alleged loopholes have been points of contention. The Labour Party’s current proposal to tighten these regulations, particularly around trail hunting, has reignited debates over the balance between animal welfare, rural traditions, and potential overreach.
Critics like the Countryside Alliance argue that Labour’s focus on hunting detracts from more pressing rural issues, such as housing affordability, service accessibility, and agricultural policy.
