“We’ll be back”, say Countryside Alliance

Chief executive of the Countryside Alliance Richard Burge delivered a calling card to the Houses of Parliament on Sunday 18 March – the day the Liberty and Livelihood March was due to take place.

The card, which stated “wewere unavoidably detained”, warned politicians that the hundreds of thousands of marchers “will call again”

The Countryside Alliance voluntarily postponed their Liberty and Livelihood March three weeks ago due to thefoot-and-mouth crisis.

In excess of 500,000 people had been expected to attend the demonstration.

Mr Burge said: “It is sadly ironic that the ‘livelihood’ aspect of our march is the reason we cannot be here. “The calling card will demonstrate will emphasis that although our march has been postponed, the reasons for staging it are now even more relevant than ever.”