This weekend is the start of the traditional hunting season - a time when hunts could chase foxes, dig them out of holes and then set dogs on them, allowing them to be ripped apart. For ‘fun’.

The Hunting Act made that activity illegal, but it didn’t eradicate it. But nor did the Theft Act eradicate burglary. We knew that there would be a hard core of hunters who’d stick two fingers up to the law and carry on regardless. And sadly, this hard core has high profile political support.

Some politicians want to bring back hunting, and the Conservative leader David Cameron has promised a free vote on the issue if his party wins the next General Election. The Liberal Democrats have said that the issue “isn’t on the agenda” and Labour have pledged to enforce the Hunting Act.

We need you to contact the candidates in your area to find out if they support the Hunting Act, or want to see it repealed.

Opinion polling we published at the beginning of October shows that public support for the Hunting Act is actually increasing. Three quarters of the public support the ban on fox hunting, 84% support the ban on stag hunting, and 85% on hare hunting and hare coursing. Well over 70% of people in rural communities support the ban. And a majority of supporters of all three main political parties support the ban.

But regardless of that evidence, some politicians want to turn the clock back to cruelty. Please help us to Keep Cruelty History by contacting your candidates now. And please tell us about any response you get.

Please visit the Keep Cruelty History website.

Finally, hunting features in this Sunday’s edition of ‘Countryfile’ (BBC1, 7pm), with our chairman being interviewed by John Craven. Do tune in!

Thank you for your support.

Joshua Kaile
Parliamentary & Political Officer

PS  If you would like to donate to our campaigning work, please click here please visit the League Against Cruel Sports website