Hunting Act upheld as lawful

The High Court ruled today that the challenges to the Hunting Act under European Human Rights Legislation, and under European Trade Law brought by the Countryside Alliance were not sufficient for an overturn of that law.

John Jackson, Chairman of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The judges have accepted that there is interference with some of the claimants rights, and that the Hunting Act will have a substantial general adverse effect on the lives of many in the rural community.

“However, the Court, ignoring events in the Commons and the Lords, appears to have proceeded on the assumption that Parliament had a legitimate aim and has itself then speculated on what that may have been. Whether the Court is right to have proceeded in this way is plainly a controversial question.

“We have been granted leave to take this case to the Court of Appeal.”

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