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| Britain |
| Don't enforce hunt ban, say 70pc |
| 2004-11-28 |
| Seventy per cent of the public believe that the police should not enforce the ban on hunting when the legislation comes into effect in February. An opinion poll, conducted by ICM for The Sunday Telegraph, found that seven out of 10 of those questioned believed that police officers should concentrate on other areas of crime once hunting with hounds becomes illegal. Only 20 per cent said that they thought the police should be used to enforce the ban. Seven per cent said that officers should give equal emphasis to tackling hunting and other crimes. The poll also found that half the public supports the ban, while 35 per cent oppose it. More surprisingly, 23 per cent of Labour supporters were against it. Opposition to the ban was strongest among lower earners, bearing out claims by the pro-hunting lobby that the sport is not the preserve of "toffs". Hunts will meet this week to decide how to co-ordinate civil disobedience when the ban comes into force on February 19 next year. Many hunts are planning to restyle themselves as hound exercise clubs, while others will become drag hunts. Almost all intend to continue to hunt and challenge police to catch them in the act of killing a fox. Steven Clark, a joint master of the Barlow hounds in Derbyshire, said: "Our unofficial plan will be to continue as normal." George Bowyer, a joint master of the Fitzwilliam Hunt, said: "I think the most likely thing is for people and farmers to go draghunting or out as hound exercise clubs and have the odd 'accident'." |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #1 Sorry people of England, but your betters have spoken. Now doff your caps, tug your forelocks, and get back to work. If your betters wanted to hear from you, they would have actualy listened to you. I suggest that you apply for immigration at the U.S., or Austraian embassies now, before the lines get long, and your betters prohibit emmigration from the (future) Soviet Socialist Republic of England. |
| Posted by: N Guard 2004-11-28 9:48:12 AM |