SHOULD there be another vote to bring back fox hunting?

Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would offer a free vote to MPs on the issue.

It was in 2004 the then Labour government introduced the Hunting Act, which bans the use of dogs to hunt foxes and wild mammals in England and Wales.

This week the Daily Mirror reported that it had seen a leaked email from Conservative peer Lord Mancroft, chairman of the Council of Hunting Associations, outlining how a Conservative landslide at the general election could result in changes.

The Examiner picked a selection of candidates from parties with chosen candidates and asked their views. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

Conservative: Jason McCartney, Colne Valley, said: “If re-elected, and if and when a free vote will come forward, I will be listening very carefully to my constituents before voting.

“At the moment I am focusing on working hard on the campaign trail, focusing on the big issues of saving HRI, support for our schools and colleges and getting good quality jobs and apprenticeships for people.”

Green Party: Andrew Cooper, Huddersfield, said: “I think it is barbaric to kill animals for pleasure. It is abhorrent that they are reconsidering the position and it sends a very unfortunate signal by the Tory party that they are going to look after their own and a particular class of people.

“The PM has called this election at a time of her choosing and she said it was about Brexit. Why is she now trying to get a return to fox hunting back in off the back of it?”

Labour: Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield, said: “We’ve been there and done that, it’s typical Tory clap-trap.

“I voted against hunting with dogs and it’s old history and we should leave it as that. I know people in the countryside who don’t want it back, the countryside has worked out how to live without it.

“It’s ghastly stirring it all up again and will cause bad blood for an area that is now at peace.

“There are more important issues for us to spend our time on.”

Liberal Democrat: Cahal Burke, Colne Valley: “I’m in favour of keeping the ban. Is the killing of foxes in this way something a civilised society should be doing?

“This is my personal view and I recognise there are others, I would listen to others views, but I am very much against fox hunting. To remove the ban is a backward step.”