Labour take next step to ban trail hunting 

Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner announced during an adjournment debate that the government will be consulting on its manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting “later this year”. 

This is the first confirmation of a time scale for new hunting legislation and could lead to a bill being tabled as early as 2026.

Opponents of hunting argue that the current hunting laws are unenforceable, and that people are breaking the law with impunity. However the government’s own figures appear to refute this. 

Ministry of Justice statistics show  that since 2010 there have been 416 convictions under the Hunting Act, more than any other wildlife law, and twice the number of convictions as the next most prosecuted wildlife offence. 

Chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, Tim Bonner said: “Hunting is in a challenging position. Navigating a route through the complex politics of the coming years and emerging with a way forward for hunting will not be easy, but it will be made infinitely harder if we do not keep our own house in order. 

“Now is the moment for hunting to redouble its commitment to high standards in all things, most especially in the conduct of trail hunting, if we are to secure a future for hunts.”