The 7th Year of the Hunting Act

If ever there was a case of everyone taking the time to understand the threat that our wildlife is under from the pressures that are building up to overturn the Hunting Act of 2004.

The main political pressure group of the blood sports fanatics is the Countryside Alliance now headed by Old Etonian and Former head of the UK Field Army, Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner and like former military Editors of the Baileys Hunting Directory they seem to have found time to edit this ‘Hunting Bible’  while serving in volatile conflict zones of Afghanistan or Iraqi. Barney White-Spunner is a writer and countryman and a long term supporter of all country pursuits and was President of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles and well ‘blooded’ to lead this war on our wildlife.

The greatest threat to our wildlife is the possible bill that will allow some sort of new self-regulating body in attempt to make repeal of the ban on hunting with dogs acceptable and necessary to the general public. These secret plans to reintroduce hunting foxes, stags, hares and minks have been drawn up with the backing of many Conservative MPs. Details of the controversial scheme include the creation of a Hunt Regulatory Authority (HRA) to monitor the behavior of hunts. The plans were drawn up by lawyers and the Countryside Alliance, but aren’t these the people who hunt? This HRA has the blessing of many high profile Tories including the Prime Minster, himself a hunter, William Hague, and Dominic Grieve, the current Attorney General. 

Well what a novel idea especially following the banking crisis where the hunters regulate themselves. It’s rather like putting a sex offender in charge of playground duty!

Currently we have hunts claiming to be ‘Trail Hunting’ but time and time again we keep getting reports of Hunt Havoc in towns and villages up and down the country: 

“A few hounds strayed into the garden and unfortunately mistakenly attacked the families pet cat. The huntsman did make every effort to call the hounds off but it was too late”.

“The incident was the result of a misunderstanding over a right of way between fields and the road”.

“The hounds ventured off the trail and got into the back of the village”.

“The hounds took off after a fox while out trail hunting, it was an unfortunate accident.” 

Many of these incidents take place on private property where people have set aside parcels of land for the benefit of local wildlife.

No doubt we will hear from the hunters that the law is not working and this I agree with this. We need the police to enforce it and if they have problems then get the act modified to close the many silly loop holes that are so ruthlessly exploited by the cruel hunters.

Tory Fat Cats - Built on Wealth

Fundraising Auction at the Battersea Evolution venue in London - Feb 2012

If anyone still thinks that David Cameron has the interest of the common people then they need to think again. So much for Cameron’s pre-election promise of ‘Openness and transparency’ as the Tories went to great lengths to keep the black-and-white-tie fund raising party a secret to avoid letting the big fat cat lie out of the bag!

The list of people able and willing to denote thousands to the party’s funds in order to win an outright election and be free of any calming effects that the Liberal Democrats may think they exert. It was almost a Bankers and Hedge Fund Managers Ball.

The secret event was sponsored by the investment group Shore Capital with party supporters dining on spectacular banquet feast with of course the very best French wines to wash it all down.

Wealthy donors paid up to £10,000 for tables with the top prices being paid for those close to Cameron and his Minsters. The former party treasurer Michael Spencer the Chief Executive of ICAP the worlds largest inter-dealer broker and the owner of ‘Spread Betting’ firm City Index was present along with the current treasurer Baron Fink the Godfather of the UK hedge fund industry and a frequent guest at the Prime Minster official country home of Chequers. Others in attendance was another hedge fund boss Michael Hintze and the Swiss banker Henry Angest.

The auction was conducted by Tory supporter Sotheby’s chairman Henry Wyndham and for a taste of some items sold during the night see the list below:-

• A bronze status of Baroness Thatcher was sold for £120,000

• Shooting for a party of eight on the Tusmore Park estate in Oxfordshire, with pheasants, partridges and ducks as the targets’.

• Dinner for eight with Boris Johnson at a top London restaurant went for £55,000.

• An Everest trek with adventurer David Hempleman-Adams sold for £20,000.

• An offer of a self portrait painted by artist Darren Baker sold for £40,000.

• A day's shooting for eight guns in Oxfordshire with Lunch thrown in sold for £55,000

They were many other bloodspots events on offer with some selling for £55,000 and stalking at Buckhurst Park was sold but the winning bid was not released.

However unlike last year’s event they were no internships with top City firms available for auction. These usually sell for thousands of pounds for the benefit of the children of party donors. That is now seen as sheer favouritism and perhaps buying success for ones offspring, so reluctantly removed from the auction this year.

Conservative Party treasurer Baron Fink addressed the party supporters and told them that we need to raise enough money to govern this country without the Liberal Democrates. This time we ‘the Conservatives’ must blow all opposition to us out of the water.