Lifting The Ban

[cocker 2,654]

a sensible piece from one of todays papers

The reasons why England and Wales voted so convincingly for a Conservative Government on Thursday will be debated forever, but one of the most obvious is the complete rejection of both Labour and Liberal Democrats in any constituency that has a hint of the countryside about it. This is graphically illustrated by the post-election constituency map. Actually, suggesting that the voters rejected those parties is probably the wrong way round. The truth is that those parties have rejected rural voters. In 2015 Labour’s policy offer to the countryside was little more than a series of threats about everything from gun ownership to badger culling and extraordinarily the Liberal Democrats, despite having many sensible MPs in rural areas, also managed to exude indifference towards the countryside at a national level.

As a Conservative MP I should probably stop now and leave both parties to stew in the mire they have created, but there is a bigger issue here about countryside ‘representation’. What these results tell us politicians (of all parties) is that the notion that we have to endorse the animal rights agenda to be successful has now been thoroughly tested, and completely failed. When I first stood against the sitting Labour MP in my constituency of Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South in 2010 no less a figure than Brian May, guitar hero and animal rights champion, made the long trek here to campaign against me. The League Against Cruel Sports (in breach of Charity Commission guidance) spent the entire election campaign pursuing me around my patch trying to ‘expose’ my links to the Countryside Alliance, an organisation I had fairly publicly led for the preceding 7 years.

I won, as did all the other pro-hunting, pro-shooting, pro-farming, pro-common sense candidates animal rights groups campaigned against, and our results compared favourably with our colleagues in urban and rural constituencies. Brian May came again this time and yet my majority increased well in line with the national picture, as did all my other colleagues who were targeted by badger marchers, hunt sabs and assorted animal rights activists. None of this should come as a surprise.

The shining example of common sense in the Labour party Kate Hoey, who I was proud to serve as Chief Executive when she was Chairman of the Countryside Alliance, has been abused by animal rights extremists, stalked by eccentrics in fox outfits and even had animal rights candidates standing against her in her inner-London constituency. At this election she increased her majority, just as she did in 2010. Is there another Labour MP in the country who can say that?

The message is clear to all of us in politics. Pandering to a tiny minority of noisy extremists won’t get us elected, it will get us rejected. Part of the current malaise in politics is voter exasperation in the blandness of us all. MPs who stand proudly in defence of important principles are like fresh air to our cynical punters, and generate support and respect, even from those they may offend in the process.

Simon Hart is the MP for Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South. When he won the seat from Labour in 2010 he became the first Conservative MP to represent any part of Carmarthenshire since 1851. In the 2015 election he increased his majority to over 6,000.

Tags: animal rights, Conservatives, Countryside, David Cameron, election 2015, Kate Hoey, Labour, Liberal Democrats, rural vote

[cocker 2,654]

the gap is closing keep clicking please lads

 

david-cameron-wants-overturn-hunting-5287874

[desertbred 5,490]

Contact your MP for repeal of the ban www.writetothem.com.

[cocker 2,654]

please feel free to cut and paste what i wrote to my mps keep it simple

 

dear

 

i would like to ask for your support in the repeal of the 2005 hunting with dogs act, as promised by david cameron, your opinion or views on this matter would be greatfully received, i personaly would like to see a repeal of this ban as soon as possible,

in anticipation of your reply

Yours sincerely,

[roybo 2,873]

i think the mirror has fixed that not to go over 49% the amout of times i've been on there lol

[Mr Goodcat 69]

i think the mirror has fixed that not to go over 49% the amout of times i've been on there lol

I know where you're coming from mate, my fingers getting sore.

[roybo 2,873]

Wrote to my mp too,cant see it being much help,as he is a labour candidate.

But said as to influence my future voting what is his intention given a free vote.So as I could decide Wjere my vote would go given any election Future

[bunnyboiler 1,052]

Wrote to my MP turns out she's a tree hugger from labour I'll put the reply up when I get it back doubt it will be much cop though ?

[J Darcy 5,871]

Maybe the CA should consider taking on the anti-hunt MP's as 'consultants'....just like what the anti's did to get the bill through in the first place....

[cocker 2,654]

I'm waiting to here back i wrote to him today

[beast 1,884]

Whilst it is obviously important to contact your mp if they are pro hunting, it is Far More Important to get after them if they are anti. Get everyone you kow to write to the anti hunting mps, remind them that their support will be repaid at the next election by your vote, bOmbard them with polite letters urging their support. You never know, we may be ale to sway even one or two, that might make all the difference

[cocker 2,654]

I've done just that beast

[bunnyboiler 1,052]

 

That's her reply lads write me something up to reply to her it might work

[J Darcy 5,871]

Hi...ask her why she is mentioning foxes. It is the invasive mink you wish to hunt as they are decimating the local, indigenous bird population and are vying with otters for territory and food as well as making the comeback of the water vole impossible.

[bunnyboiler 1,052]

Excellent reply but don't want to come across to cocky think we need to get in about a few aspects of the hunting ban and it's not just about fox hunting with dogs and what you see on the news and country file