Tories pledge time to overturn hunt ban

Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith has pledged to dedicate parliamentary time required by those wishing to overturn a ban on hunting

A Conservative government would smooth the path for any hunting ban to be repealed, Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith MP has pledged.

Speaking at Bucks County show last week, where both he and his wife, Betsy, signed up to march on 22 September, Duncan Smith branded the present government’s stance on countryside issues as “disgraceful”, insisting that his own party would take active steps to overturn any ban on hunting.

“People have the right to pursue their lives without hindrance or persecution from a government which dislikes them,” he said. “If a ban is achieved, it will only be by riding roughshod over their wishes, and it would be a deep and rolling injustice if that situation were allowed to continue.

“We would make sure that sufficient parliamentary time is made available to rectify the problem which will have been created. Since it is an all-party issue, this would be in the form of a private member’s bill, and we would make sure it was not blocked.”

He also discounted suggestions of a “middle way” compromise.

“I believe hunting is self-regulating, and even the Burns report made clear that there was no legitimate call for a ban on the grounds of cruelty.”

For more information about the March, or to register, visit www.march-info.org

Read more March news:

• Support for hunting march grows
• London march routes announced
• March hotline opens

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