The countryside's Liberty and Livelihood march, which was postponed last year due to the foot and mouth epidemic, will now go ahead on September 22nd.

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

Richard Burge, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, told ePolitix.com: "We have decided to keep the same title and credo as the postponed march because our reasons for staging the original march are regrettably even more apt than a year ago. We said when we postponed the march that we could call again if necessary, and on September 22nd we will.

"Although this march will not just be about hunting, the outrage at the prospect of a ban has lit the fuse. This march is about rural liberty and livelihoods. Lest anyone misunderstand its purpose we have set down a five point charter. Anyone who does not subscribe to all five principles of our march - and these crucially include the right for people to decide for themselves whether they may hunt - will not be welcome on it.

"This time our march will be to call upon the government, rather than upon Parliament, to help rural minorities. Since the postponement of our march last year it has become even clearer that most MPs are intent on doing things to the countryside rather than for it. Now only government action, based on commonsense, statesmanship and a willingness to lead its backbenchers away from prejudice and divisiveness, can resolve this looming crisis".