Jury: Should the government lift the ban on fox hunting?

I am opposed to the Government lifting the ban on foxhunting, as are the vast majority of the British public. My main opposition is because of the pain inflicted on the fox it is the principle that it is ok to inflict pain for the entertainment of toffs in red jackets that i find objectionable. The other thing is that with so many other important issues, such as the collapse of our NHS, I find it astounding that Theresa May wants to return to such an unpopular measure at this time. So on the grounds of cruelty and the lack of support from the public I see no reason to lift the ban on foxhunting.

Ed Glasson, secretary of the Bracknell Branch of Unite

As far as I'm concerned Oscar Wilde's observation that foxhunting was "the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable" can't be bettered. It's a bit rich for the Conservatives and their billionaire buddies in the press to whine that Labour's manifesto will drag us back to the 1970's, when the current government, which is offering itself for re-election in 3 weeks' time, has already succeeded in restoring pre-war, - or earlier -, levels of inequality and deprivation in so many areas of our national life and, in so doing, has condemned the majority of our young people, in the world's fifth richest nation, to a life without hope of a secure well paid job, a truly affordable home, decent treatment in hard times or vital public services which are fit for use. The Conservatives evidently don't have too much regard for the welfare of their fellow countrymen; why would they worry about foxes being ripped apart for "sport".

Robert Ellison of Chapmans Ironmongers in Sunninghill

I have nothing against eating meat and therefore animals being bred and killed for human consumption.

I also have nothing against sports, some of which have been in existence for hundreds of years. That's the point. Hundreds of years ago many things were accepted as "normal'. Children were hanged for stealing food, women thought to be witches were burnt to death and we had the death penalty until the early sixties. Time and hopefully man's behaviour moves on and improves. There are substitutes for fox hunting not much liked by fox hunters but nevertheless those people can continue their sport. So, to lift the ban on fox hunting in my view would be a step in the wrong direction.