Hunt supporters turned out in their thousands to watch Boxing Day meetings set off even as campaigners vowed to fight Keir Starmer’s proposed ban on trail hunting. Pressure groups defended the pursuit after plans for the ban were announced days before the annual festive hunts.
The Countryside Alliance (CA) said the government had “alienated rural people”, adding that its polling found 65% of voters think Labour neglects country communities.
Last week the government was forced into a humiliating U-turn over inheritance tax after farmers and wealthy landowners protested.
The government’s new animal welfare strategy, launched shortly before Christmas, set out plans to ban trail hunting – where packs of hounds follow a scent laid for them – in response to concerns that it is being used as a smokescreen for fox hunting.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “This government is committed to banning trail hunting, which is too often used as a cover for illegal fox hunting and has strong public support across the country.”
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Asked about the inheritance tax U-turn, they added: “We have increased the individual inheritance tax threshold from £1m to £2.5m, meaning couples with estates of up to £5m will pay no inheritance tax.”
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