Hunting fans on the march

Oct 30 2004 By Richard Porritt, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

"I think this action is tactically inept and will lose those responsible the sympathy of many people, including myself.

"My views on hunting have been clear through two elections and I have met representatives of the Colne Valley Beagles many times and told them how I would vote given the opportunity.

"This is the type of behaviour I don't associate with my constituents and it is extremely unreasonable to subject people to that sort of treatment."

Protest organiser and hunt master with Pennine Foxhound, Andrew Rogers, of Holmfirth, said if Ms Mountford did vote against hunting she would lose her seat at the next General Election.

"We will bus members of the Countryside Alliance in from other parts of the UK to go door to door and tell the real story," he said. "She is not listening so we have to go about things in a different manner. We will make sure she does not get in and we are confident we will be successful."

Peter Hole, of the Countryside Action Network, said people's anger was boiling over because MPs were not listening.

"I think what this proves is people are outraged at the way we are being treated," he said. "Banning hunting would be undemocratic. Kali Mountford is taking these people's lives away and that is why they are angry enough to do what they have today."