Hunting debate sparks Stourbridge election attack (From Stourbridge News)

Hunting debate sparks Stourbridge election attack

11:54am Friday 20th November 2009

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STOURBRIDGE Labour MP Lynda Waltho has hit out at her main political opponent in a blistering attack on fox hunting.

The emotive issue caused the first shots to be fired in the coming general election campaign after Lynda called on people to complain about what she says are Tory plans to remove the ban on hunting foxes with hounds.

Lynda claims many people will be alarmed prospective Conservative candidate for Stourbridge, Margot James, appears to support abolishing the ban.

Lynda said: "I worked for much of my political career, before entering Parliament, to see a ban imposed on the cruel pastime of fox hunting.

“Margot James is riding roughshod over public concerns, by refusing to oppose a reversal of the fox-hunting ban. Many people are concerned by this and should register their disgust to Ms James.

"I will oppose any measure to reverse to ban on the cruel practice of fox hunting and would encourage any constituents who have concerns about this, to get in touch"

High profile Margot, who is tipped for government office if she wins in Stourbridge and Labour are ousted from power, says her party would hold a free vote in Parliament if proposals to repeal the law came forward.

Margot said: “Whilst animal welfare is a very important issue for me I would vote to restore the right to hunt foxes.

“Although I would never hunt myself I have not come in to politics to ban things for other people without very good reason.

“I respect the rights of rural communities to what they mostly regard as an important part of their way of life.”

“I respect public opinion but I don’t feel that the public have strong views on this subject.

“I don’t see it as a black and white issue in terms of which is the most humane way of controlling the fox population.”

Hunting foxes with hounds was banned in 2004, in October this year Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nick Herbert, claimed the law had not saved the life of a single fox.

He said the Hunting Act was ineffective and added: “This is bad law, and bad laws should be repealed.”

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