Labour MP pushes to ban foxhunting permanently

Parliament-based campaigners to set out 'gold-standard' reforms, including banning trail-hunting

- Jane Dalton

A parliament-based campaign group is set to ramp up pressure on the government to end illegal foxhunting for good - as ministers prepare for a public consultation on the issue.

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan is to launch a private member's bill in the new year to close loopholes that allow the activity to continue, including banning trail-hunting.

"This is our window of opportunity to get the ban done before the election," he said. "There's no way Nigel Farage [Reform UK leader] will introduce a ban." In opposition, Labour promised to crack down on illegal hunting, and its last election manifesto pledged to ban trailhunting.

The New Hunting Ban campaign group will next week publish a list of reforms it says would make the 2004 Hunting Act watertight, to coincide with the 21st anniversary of the Act being passed.

The law, which took effect in early 2005, banned hunting wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales.

Hunters say they follow a scent trail instead of foxes, but evidence from monitors, observers, drones and saboteurs claims to show widespread foxhunting.

Householders, animal sanctuaries, businesses and even funerals have been disturbed by hounds tearing through their land, and pets have been killed.