Hunt supporters warned to heed ban
The Home Secretary has warned hunt protestors that the ban on hunting with hounds will be fully enforced by the police.
Speaking in an interview for ITV1’s Jonathan Dimbleby programme David Blunkett said that any attempts to continue hunting once the ban comes into force on February 18th, would represent a challenge to the legal system.
“Let me make it absolutely clear – there is no question that the law will have to be obeyed and that the law will have to be implemented and therefore the police will take action where and whenever they think it’s necessary to do so,” he said.
Mr Blunkett did however stress that he expected police to enforce the law with “sensitivity”.
“I want common sense from those who want to go out with their horses and hounds and I want common sense in terms of the operational use of police resources and if we can get that right, then what looks at the moment to be a very major challenge will turn out not to be,” he added.
On Thursday, MPs invoked the Parliament Act to pass the Hunting Bill, in the face of opposition from the House of Lords.
Hunt supporters have launched a legal challenge to the ban and have indicated their intention to continue hunting after it takes effect next February.
Speaking in today’s interview, Mr Blunkett said he hoped confrontation would be avoided, despite warnings that hunt protestors are planning a campaign of civil disobedience in the run up to the expected May 2005 election.
The home secretary added that police would not receive additional funding to enforce the ban, despite warnings from senior police officers that the new law will place an additional burden on them.
“This is an additional burden. It is going to be challenging,” said the Association of Chief Police Officers’ spokesman on rural affairs, Suffolk Chief Constable Alastair McWhirter.
“We are going to deal with what Parliament has passed,” he told the BBC’s Today programme on Saturday.
