Stephen Ladyman: 'I'm backing the ban, but can Laura Sandys say the same?'

MP celebrates 5 Year Anniversary of the Fox Hunting Ban

South Thanet MP, Stephen Ladyman, has pledged his support for the ban on Fox Hunting and has challenged his Tory opponent at the next election to do the same.

Stephen Ladyman said:

"It is now 5 years since the Fox-Hunting Bill became law and it was supported then by an overwhelming majority of the public and it is just as well supported now. Fox hunting is cruel and the ban should remain. Unfortunately, most Tories disagree and David Cameron and his team remain obsessed with making hunting legal again if they win the next election. I'm backing the ban but can the Tory candidate for South Thanet say the same?'

According to the results of an Ipsos Mori poll last month, three quarters of people do not want hunting with dogs to be made legal again. And although there is no evidence that the doom-laden predictions for rural communities that hunt campaigners made have materialised the Hunting Act remains under threat because the Conservative Party have made it clear they want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Stephen Ladyman said:

"David Cameron spoke up for fox-hunting in his maiden speech, and I find it unbelievable that the Conservatives have pledged to make getting rid of the fox-hunting ban a priority if they were to win the next election. With all the challenges the world is currently facing, this just doesn’t make sense.

That is why I've signed the petition to help protect the ban and I want South Thanet constituents to do the same. And let's hear from Laura Sandys to see if she will backs the ban too and if she does how would she stop David Cameron repealing the Fox Hunting Act if he wins the next election?"

"People can sign up to the petition at www.backtheban.com and I want as many as possible to sign up now."

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:

"If you think the Tories have changed, this makes it absolutely clear that their priorities haven’t. They know the public doesn’t agree with them on this, but they are determined to go ahead if they are given the chance. That’s why we need to continue to campaign to stop this barbaric ‘sport’ from returning to our land.