Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative MP for North Cotswolds, has expressed strong opposition to the Government’s decision to ban trail hunting in England and Wales, calling it “another attack on countryside communities.”
Trail hunting is a legal activity that involves laying an animal-based scent for hounds to follow, while hunters on horseback follow the pack. This practice mimics traditional fox hunting, which was banned in 2004, yet trail hunting does not involve chasing or killing wild animals.
The Government maintains that outlawing trail hunting fulfills a manifesto pledge aimed at closing loopholes that allow illegal hunting under the guise of trail hunts. However, Sir Geoffrey, who has attended several trail hunts, dismissed this justification as political maneuvering.
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“As a rural MP representing some of the world’s most historic hunt packs including Vale of the White Horse, Beaufort, Berkeley, Cotswold, North Cotswold, and Heythrop, I am dumbfounded by this ban,” he said.
He accused the Labour Government of using the ban as “dog whistle politics,” a distraction to placate party backbenchers without financial cost. “The Government say trail hunting is a smokescreen for animal welfare failings, but in reality, it’s a smokescreen for their own failures,” he argued.
Sir Geoffrey recalled that fox hunting was banned after extensive parliamentary debates, consuming over 700 hours of time. With current pressures on the court system and rising unemployment since Labour took office, he suggested the ban is a low priority that nonetheless negatively impacts rural communities.
He also cited admissions from former Labour leaders like Tony Blair and Lord Mandelson, suggesting the original fox hunting ban was influenced by political donations and pressure from animal rights groups.
“This policy is yet another blow to countryside livelihoods,” Sir Geoffrey said. “Rural businesses are facing heavy taxation, from family farm levies to soaring business rates hitting pubs and hospitality. This ban will only deepen those challenges.”
The Labour Government, however, emphasized its commitment to animal welfare and public safety. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs highlighted ongoing concerns that trail hunting may be used to mask illegal hunting activities. Their policy paper notes the risks of using animal-based scents, which can inadvertently lead hounds to wild animals, pets, or even people, and the potential for trail hunting to enable illegal hunting under cover.
As the debate continues, rural communities face significant uncertainty over the future of traditional hunting practices and their impact on local economies.