28/01/2005

Pro-hunt campaigners lose legal ban battle

Pro-hunt campaigners have lost their bid to overturn the government's hunting ban.

The Countryside Alliance had launched a case to overturn the 2004 Hunting Act, because it had been passed by use of the Parliament Act 1949, which the group claimed was invalid.

The League Against Cruel Sports, who opposed the pro-hunt group's legal challenge, welcomed the High Court's ruling, calling it "a great day for Parliamentary democracy". League Chairman, John Cooper, said: "Any attempt to seek an injunction to delay implementation of the Hunting Act must be rigorously opposed. It would set an appalling precedent that could allow anyone who does not like a piece of legislation to delay its implementation through spurious legal challenges."

The Countryside Alliance has said that the Hunting Act is invalid, because it was forced through by using the Parliament Act, which allows the House of Commons to overrule the House of Lords, after the Lords had ruled against the ban. The group argued that the Parliament Act was invalid, because it had never been passed by the House of Lords.

The hunting ban is now set to come into effect on February 18. However, the Countryside Alliance is expected to appeal and seek an injunction to delay the commencement of the ban.

The group is also launching a separate challenge claiming the hunting ban is a breach of human rights. The government has said that it would not oppose such an injunction.

(KMcA/SP)

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