Penny Little warns that the pro-hunt lobby is working behind the scenes to secure a Conservative government pledged to repeal the ban on hunting with hounds
THERE has been much criticism of Labour’s tactics at the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, particularly the one which saw Tory candidate Edward Timpson accused of being a toff. The way this was conducted certainly seemed very clumsy. It may even have been counter-productive and a contributory factor in the big Conservative win.
Nevertheless, there is a significant element of truth in Labour’s message. However, it goes much deeper than a pantomime depiction of a man in top hat and tails. It has far more to do with members of the hunting fraternity and their position at the hidden heart of Tory success.
The Conservatives’ rural power base is still surprisingly strong and connected to the considerable and enduring influence of landowners. If anyone doubts this, they should ask tenant farmers and those living in tied cottages why they do not openly voice their objection to hunting. They keep quiet because they are beholden to powerful members of the local hunt. This was something activists like myself found out as we campaigned against the cruelty involved in hunting wild animals for “sport”. We discovered a complex and inflexible structure which we came to call the “rural mafia”.
This centuries-old cabal was shaken to its foundations by the ban on hunting with hounds which goes against everything they believe – that they, as landowners, can do as they please and no one should be allowed to tell them there is something they may not do. Undoubtedly, some people who hunt are not rich landowners. But they are dependent on them for the land on which to hunt and so have joined their ranks at an inferior level.
Vast sums of money were poured into the campaign to retain hunting. The massive amount of lawbreaking that has gone on since the ban was enacted is another demonstration that those in this rich and privileged group believe themselves to be above the law.
Tory leader David Cameron is the very epitome of the hunting, shooting and fishing fraternity. He now has the benefit of the machinations of Vote-OK, an organisation which mobilises hunts and their followers to canvass for pro-hunting Conservative candidates in both local and national elections. In marginal constituencies, their activities could be crucial in determining the result. Vote-OK canvassers have a long-term strategy to see hunting made legal once again. However, they tend not to tell voters about this. In fact, they steer clear of the subject, as they know it is a vote loser.
On its website, Vote-OK proclaims: “The catalyst for the formation of Vote-OK was the ban on hunting and especially rural affairs minister Alun Michael’s remark: ‘If people wish to continue their opposition to legislation, they have the option of the ballot box through which to express their views.’
“Thousands of people were directly and indirectly affected by this legislation. Organised and deployed across the 139 marginal seats where the sitting MP supported the ban, Vote-OK will enable those people to campaign to the greatest effect. The ban on hunting was the catalyst, but it is not the cause. Campaigning in the constituencies will be led by the candidate and will be based on the national and local issues that matter to the people in those constituencies.”
It is hard to interpret this message as anything other than the manifesto of a group motivated by the wish to see the Hunting Act repealed, but who cloak their motives behind “national and local issues that matter to the people in those constituencies”. As they know full well, a return to legalised hunting is highly unlikely to be at the top of most people’s priorities.
At the Peterborough Festival of Hunting in August 2007, David Maclean, the Tory MP for Penrith and the Border, was one of those who addressed the crowd. He said the Hunting Act “will be toughened up if Labour wins another election. It is essential that we get political and help Vote-OK to get pro-hunting MPs into Parliament.”
On October 5 last year, Maclean wrote to Stephen Lambert, chairman of the Council of Hunting Associations, saying: “I would be grateful if you would put all hunts and hunting associations on immediate readiness for a possible general election on either November 1 or 8. This is earlier than we anticipated, but all the essential plans are in place. It is vital that we get the maximum turnout of your volunteers, since this could be the last chance to save hunting. If this Government gets another five years, then I am certain that they will close the current exemptions in the Hunting Act and also turn their attention to other country sports. There is a great deal at stake, but the task is achievable.
“Please remind everyone of David Cameron’s cast-iron commitment to bring in a bill, in Government time, to give the House of Commons a chance to reverse the ban. Please ask all hunts and associations this weekend to ensure that they have their Vote-OK campaigner in place and that they are working closely with their target seat candidate. Three weeks’ work to save 300 years of tradition.”
During last month’s local council elections, an interesting letter came to my attention. It was sent to local hunts by Alison Latham, a Tory councillor in the Milton Keynes area. She said: “If we could achieve just a few more wins for Conservatives in Milton Keynes… [we] would be building up a strong base from which to launch the national campaign [and] replace [Labour MP] Phyllis Starkey with [a] pro-hunt Conservative candidate.”
This leaked letter describes Tory candidate Andrew Morris as a “Bicester and Whaddon Chase supporter and hunt steward” – as indeed is Alison Latham, although no mention of his hunting interests appears to have been made in his campaign literature. Andrew Morris is now an elected Tory councillor. There certainly are wheels within wheels.
No one should be in any doubt that David Cameron is as loyal a tribal member of the upper classes as it is possible to be. This perfectly illustrated by his standard condemnation of lawbreakers, with just one exception – his hunting friends, who he routinely defends. He is on record as saying the ban is being “widely flouted” and “should be repealed”.
The pro-hunting support for the Tories is disturbing and unhealthy. If they knew about this, many of the people who have just voted Conservative for the first time would deplore it. But they are almost certainly completely unaware of what is going on. Perhaps Labour strategists should replace the top hat and tails with a red jacket and riding breeches.
Penny Little is a council member of the anti-hunt group Protect Our Wild Animals
