Sir Keir Starmer’s Government is facing accusations of waging a “war against rural people” as opponents of a ban on trail hunting urge the public to speak up before a Government consultation ends on Thursday.
Labour Peer Warns of ‘Incalculable’ Harm
Labour peer Ann Mallalieu warned her own party that a ban would cause “incalculable” harm to the countryside and lead to job losses and pub closures. Trail hunting involves laying an animal-based scent trail for dogs to follow, but Labour made a manifesto pledge to ban it in 2024. The Government says the sport “carries an inherent risk of the dogs picking up the scent of a live wild mammal and then pursuing it”.
Countryside Alliance Calls for Reset
Baroness Mallalieu, who is president of the Countryside Alliance, warned against a ban, saying: “Those who break the law can be prosecuted under the existing law. The Government now proposes to criminalise those who follow it as they directed.” The former barrister had a direct message for Labour: “I urge my party to reset its relationship with rural people and focus on delivering for them, not against them.”
The Countryside Alliance has called on the Government to drop its “toxic culture war” and “start legislating for rural people not against them”.
Huntsman Fears for Livelihood
Sandy Wilson, a kennel huntsman with the Bedale Hunt in North Yorkshire, said: “I have worked in hunt service for most of my life. It's all I know. I have given everything to the care of hounds and cannot imagine a world where this isn’t what I wake up every morning to do. By trail hunting, we are doing what the last Labour Government told us to do when they banned traditional hunting, but now they want to ban this too.”
Mr Wilson said it felt as if the Government was “picking on my community as a way to distract from failings elsewhere”. He stated: “It is nothing more than a culture war against rural people… When he was seeking votes in the countryside, Keir Starmer promised respect. Since taking office he’s come after farmers, rural businesses and now us. It’s very sad. Livelihoods are at stake. Jobs will be lost and communities harmed.”
Shadow Minister Criticises Priorities
Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins also opposed a ban, saying: “Rather than tackling the cost of living, or funding our defence properly, Labour is going after the lawful sport of trail hunting in their latest attack on rural communities. This strange prioritisation has nothing to do with animal welfare and everything to with needing to appease their rebelling backbenchers. Not content with hammering farmers with taxes and covering the countryside with solar panels, they are now taking aim at rural culture itself.”
Animal Rights Group Welcomes Ban
However, Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said she wanted to see “trail hunting banned” with “a proper deterrent in the form of jail sentences to deter would-be hunters”. She said: “We need to call time on the hunts’ war on the countryside. Fox hunting never stopped – we received reports of 488 foxes being chased during the most recent season and 1,220 incidents in which hunts wreaked havoc on rural communities, including by trespassing, worrying livestock, and hounds running amok on railway lines and busy roads. I urge the public to have their say on hunting with dogs and take part in the government consultation, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to consign barbaric fox hunting to the history books.”
Government Defends Consultation
A spokesperson for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “This Government has made a clear commitment to ban trail hunting due to concerns about how it is being practiced. We understand that this is a complex issue and we want to make sure all those with an interest have the opportunity to shape how we bring this forward. We want alternative practices such as drag hunting and clean‑boot hunting, which use non‑animal scents, to continue to thrive and support local jobs and businesses.”
