Hunting policy turns voters off (From Free Press Series)

Hunting policy turns voters off

BLAENAVON saw many staunch Labour supporters switch their ballot choices in last week's general election in protest against the anti-hunt bill. And even those who didn't change their vote, gathered this week in a show of defiance against the hunt ban.

A life-long field sports enthusiast John Thomas, said generations of his family have hunted with dogs. He has four Lurchers and goes hare coursing at least twice a week, all over the country.

But after a lifetime of labour voting his passion for hunting meant making a stance.

"I've always voted Labour, as did my father and his father, but this time round as much as it went against the grain myself and almost everyone I know has either voted Lib Dem, Tory or not voted at all."

"I'm quite prepared to say that I would still go hunting and it's made me look for loop holes in the law," he added.

"The law doesn't make sense, technically if a granny was taking her terrier for a walk and it ran off and took a hare to ground, she could be prosecuted."

Blaenavon smallholder Sue Fiander-Woodhouse said despite losing much of her stock to dog foxes on the Blorenge, she didn't change her vote.

"No party was about to reverse the ban, but I am considering sending a bill to Tony Blair to cover my losses. Six of my prize winning geese were beheaded and a good breeding goose can cost up to £50."

She also vows to continue hunting and is calling for a major cull to take place ahead of losing any more valuable livestock.

They say before the ban much of the quarry got away unharmed, but the law now states that if quarry is chased it must be shot.

Mr Thomas said: "We don't get pleasure out of cruelty - it's about being out with the dogs and putting them through their paces rather than killing. "What happens in slaughter houses and battery farms can be far more cruel.

"We can't understand how it can be cruel to kill a fox or hare but not a rabbit or a rat under this bill."

On both sides of this emotive debate there is no room for manoeuvre, with pro and anti-hunt camps remaining steadfast in their beliefs.

Mr Thomas said: "I know people on both sides feel strongly, but I am not going to give up on one of the biggest pleasures in my life, and I feel strongly enough to change the way I vote, along with many others."