Hunt supporters fund Tories, says League Against Cruel Sports

The Conservative Party is facing the prospect of being investigated by the parliamentary sleaze watchdog after an animal welfare charity complained that pro-hunting groups and individuals had made influential donations to a member of the shadow cabinet.

by Tribune Web Editor
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

by Marcus Papadopoulos

The Conservative Party is facing the prospect of being investigated by the parliamentary sleaze watchdog after an animal welfare charity complained that pro-hunting groups and individuals had made influential donations to a member of the shadow cabinet.

The League Against Cruel Sports wrote to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, John Lyon, alleging that Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, had received just over £10,000 in donations from hunt supporters who have an eye on influencing Tory policy into pledging that, if elected at the next general election, a Conservative government will hold a free vote in a bid to repeal the Hunting Act.

On two separate occasions, the most recent during the Today programme on Radio 4 on Monday 19 October, Mr Herbert made it clear that the Conservatives consider the Hunting Act, which prohibits the hunting of wild animals with dogs in England and Wales, as “unworkable” and pledged that an incoming Tory administration would commit government time to holding a free vote on repealing a piece of legislation that, in his view, is an “affront to civil liberties”.

In a letter to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, Douglas Batchelor, the chief executive at the League, argued that: “Mr Herbert may have placed himself under a financial obligation to a group of individuals who have influenced him in the performance of his official duties.  We believe the integrity of his office is therefore clearly in question.”

According to the League, Mr Herbert received £5,000 from Johan Christofferson, the former master of the Isle of Wight Hunt; £2,000 from the Altnaharra Estate in Sutherland; £2,000 from grouse shoot owner Michael Cannon; and £1,500 from William & Sons, a firm which sells guns and hunting clothes.

Despite consecutive opinion polls which have found that nearly 80 per cent of the British public support the Hunting Act, the Conservatives have in recent weeks made the reintroduction of hunting a key part of their agenda in the run-up to the general election.

During the Conservative Party annual conference last month David Cameron, a former hunter himself, reiterated his view that the Hunting Act is a “farce” and should be repealed.

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  • Oscar Peter

    A stupid argument illustrated by the fact that Mr. Papadopoulos, despite working for the League Against Cruel Sports, seems to have missed the 2005 Conservative Manifesto commitment to repeal the Hunting Act. Where is the change in policy?

    He also might like to note that grouse shooting is not covered by the Hunting Act, there is no hunting with dogs in Sutherland and Scotland is anyway covered by separate hunting with dogs legislation.

  • Oscar Peter

    A stupid argument illustrated by the fact that Mr. Papadopoulos, despite working for the League Against Cruel Sports, seems to have missed the 2005 Conservative Manifesto commitment to repeal the Hunting Act. Where is the change in policy?

    He also might like to note that grouse shooting is not covered by the Hunting Act, there is no hunting with dogs in Sutherland and Scotland is anyway covered by separate hunting with dogs legislation.

  • Jon Burgess

    Perhaps New Labour should have the donation
    of £1.1 million given to then by the Political Animal Lobby just prior to the general election in 1997 investigated. The single aim of PAL was a hunting ban. Now whats the old saying, something about glasshouses and stones I think……

  • Jon Burgess

    Perhaps New Labour should have the donation
    of £1.1 million given to then by the Political Animal Lobby just prior to the general election in 1997 investigated. The single aim of PAL was a hunting ban. Now whats the old saying, something about glasshouses and stones I think……

  • giles bradshaw

    This sounds like a total non story. Basically LACS have written ton someone complaining about then Tories um big deal!

  • giles bradshaw

    This sounds like a total non story. Basically LACS have written ton someone complaining about then Tories um big deal!

  • http://google mike fry

    after labours guaranteed failure on everything it touches, perhaps it needs reminding that it’s a party who stands for confusing ambition with ability.

  • Mrs Linda Rickman

    I would say that it is only a ‘total non story’ if you support or care nothing about hunting, so as I totally oppose hunting it is definitely a ‘story’ to me and anyone else with a conscience with regard to hunting!

  • Mrs Linda Rickman

    I would say that it is only a ‘total non story’ if you support or care nothing about hunting, so as I totally oppose hunting it is definitely a ‘story’ to me and anyone else with a conscience with regard to hunting!