Trail-hunt ban on MoD land is ‘restarting the class war’

Labour has blocked 11 trail-hunts from Government land, and no licences for trail-hunting on Ministry of Defence (MoD) ground have been issued for the current season. The ban will affect historic hunts such as the Royal Artillery, which has been hunting over Salisbury Plain for more than a century. 

Before the Hunting Act of 2004, Tony Blair’s Labour government promoted trail-hunting as the sport’s future. The current Labour Government has vowed to ban all hunting and called the legal practice of harmless trail-hunting a “loophole”. 

A retired colonel and fieldsports writer said: “This issue goes well beyond hunting. It appears the Government is hoping to restart the class war that once surrounded hunting and many other fieldsports. Which, as we know, was fuelled by a very outdated perception of those who participate. 

“Why ban a legal pastime enjoyed by so many — whether on horseback or as part of the growing number of foot-followers? If there are illegal activities taking place during a meet, deal with it swiftly and robustly using powers that are in place. Why impose a blanket ban?”