It is 11 years since the Hunting Act was passed, but hunts still thrive in Somerset and around the country, as does support for hunting. How is it that an activity that was outlawed after an epic and bitter political campaign remains so popular? There are many reasons, but high amongst them is the fact that hunting has never been shown to be doing anything wrong. Despite 700 hours of parliamentary debate, a Government inquiry and tens of millions of pounds spent by the animal rights movement, the case against hunting could not be proved. The chairman of that Government Inquiry, Lord Burns, stated clearly that there was no evidence that hunting was cruel, yet a majority of MPs was determined to ban it anyway.

Urban politicians and the animal rights movement have never understood hunting, or its place in the countryside. Many thought hunts would disband and hunting people take up another activity. But anyone who knew hunting and the obsession hunting people have for their hounds and country, knew that would not happen. And whilst hunting might be a minority activity, the wider rural community was always going to lend its support. The countryside knows the campaign against hunting is just the first item on the progressive agenda of the animal rights movement. The battle for hunting had been won and the battle for shooting was beginning, whilst racing and farming were also in the sights of animal rights organisations.

Ironically, the Hunting Act provides absolutely no protection for foxes. It remains perfectly legal to shoot or trap a fox. Hunts also continue to offer a legal fox control service to farmers, using terriers or two hounds to flush and shoot foxes.

There are a tiny number of prosecutions each year under the Hunting Act involving hunts in England and Wales, but more than 94%, of prosecutions have no connection to hunts and involve casual hunting or poaching. However those involved in hunting are regularly accused of law breaking by those opposed to hunting and spend many unnecessary months fighting spurious charges before they are inevitably cleared. This is not to mention the wasted court and police time and public expenditure.

In summary, there is no reason for a ban on hunting and for the sake of landowners who need to protect their livestock, hunt staff, the legal system, and even the fox itself, it should be overturned.

Tim Bonner, CEO, Countryside Alliance