Hunting Bill – Middle Way Probes Minister’s Claim That Rejection Of Middle Way Option Was “Serious Tactical Mistake”
Minister asked to explain why Middle Way option was viable in 2001 but not in 2004.
The three co-chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Middle Way group have written to the Minister in charge of the Hunting Bill in the Lords, Lord Whitty, seeking clarification of his comments during the Second Reading Hunting debate in the Lords this week.
Commenting on the rejection of the Middle Way Group’s proposed licensing option by the House of Lords in 2001, Lord Whitty said, “I think the Noble Viscount, Lord Astor, now recognises that as a serious tactical mistake.”
On 19th March 2002, after the General Election, a vote of intention was held in both Houses of Parliament. The House of Lords then voted overwhelmingly for the Middle Way option by 366 votes to 59. Even allowing for the predictably large vote against hunting in the Commons, such was the strength of the free vote in the Lords that, together, there was still a majority of Parliamentarians (55%) in favour of retaining hunting under the Middle Way proposals.
Lembit Öpik MP, co-chair of the Middle Way Group, said, “The Minister says it was a serious tactical mistake to have rejected the Middle Way option. This can only mean Ministers believe our option is a viable way forward. We agree with the Minister. This does make it hard to understand why on earth the Government could now preside over worse legislation when, in its won words, we see it preferred a different option.”
Peter Luff MP, co-chair of the Middle Way Group, said, “We consulted all relevant organisations concerned with hunting after the initial rejection by the Lords in 2001 and significantly strengthened our proposals to make them less bureaucratic. We know that such licensing of hunting would bring genuine animal welfare improvements as opposed to the Hunting Bill which is so poorly drafted that animal suffering will increase.”
Baroness Golding, co-chair of the Middle Way Group, said, “The Minister can’t have it both ways. He knows that licensing coupled with a change in the law to protect all wild mammals from all undue suffering is the best way forward. He really must break out of his blinkered obsession with banning hunting. This is the Government’s ONLY chance to properly resolve this issue.”
