The Tory leadership hopeful said the practice was an important part of the countryside’s “heritage”.
11th July 2022
Jeremy Hunt has pledged to bring back fox hunting if he is elected as Britain’s next prime minister.
The Tory leadership race gained momentum over the weekend, with opening gambits coming thick and fast from candidates across almost every wing of the party.
Rishi Sunak, who wasted no time on Friday in publicly stating an intention to stand, remains an early favourite.
But a host of hopefuls, including Nadhim Zahawi, Grant Shapps and Suella Braverman have announced tax-slashing pledges in an apparent bid to contrast themselves with his record as chancellor.
2019 contender Hunt is also in the running and has promised to pick Esther McVey as his deputy if he is successfully elected.
Bidding to curry favour with Tory Party members, the former health secretary has promised to reverse a ban on fox hunting if he gets in, saying the practice was an important part of the countryside’s “heritage”.
“I would vote to repeal the ban on fox hunting,” Hunt told the Telegraph. “I would as soon as there was a majority in parliament that would be likely to repeal the fox hunting ban, then I would support a vote in parliament.”
“It is part of the countryside,” he added. “And we have to recognise that in terms of the balance of the countryside. You know, it’s part of our heritage.”
“I don’t hunt myself, it’s not particularly my thing,” he explained, but said he was “happy for people to do it”.
A ban on fox hunting and other wild mammals was implemented in England and Wales in 2004 with legislation introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour government.
Hunt’s push to change the law was condemned by Labour, which said fox hunting was a “barbaric practice”.
Ian Lavery, Labour Party chairman, said: “This Tory leadership race is going from bad to worse. We’ve had Johnson’s tax cuts for the wealthy, a race to the bottom on no-deal Brexit, and now a pledge to bring back this barbaric practice that Labour had proudly banned.”
Jeremy Hunt pledges to bring fox hunting back if he’s elected PM
HUNT BY NAME HUNT BY NATURE, WHAT A NASTY PIECE OF WORK HE IS LETS HOPE HE DOES NOT GET IN. PERSONALLY I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A GENERAL ELECTION GET THE WHOLE LOT OF IDIOTS OUT THAT RUN THIS COUNTRY AT THE MOMENT. IF THEY DID TRY TO BRING IT BACK I THINK THEY WOULD BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE OVER IT. HE TALKS A LOAD OF GARBISH ABOUT BEING PART OF OUR HERITAGE ETC ETC SOUNDS LIKE THAT OTHER PIECE OF GARB AGE PARKER BOWELS SHE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HUNTING BACK NASTY PIECE OF WORK.
Well let’s hope he doesn’t get elected another one trying to get in to help his over privileged friends plus himself only he couldn’t care less about the country and it’s struggling wildlife. It’s utter chaos the whole country is falling apart and it’s the wildlife and the poorest that are suffering at the hands of these people. 😡😡😡😡😡😡
Yes Janet you are so right, but a least J Hunt is out of the running, but to be quite honest I don’t trust any of them they are are talk and like you say do things that their over privileged friends would like. Shocking state this country is in such a shame, we have such wonderful wild life that should be left alone to live a happy safe life as we do. I shall be bombarding the new prime minister re banning ALL hunting.