Straw to raise foxhunting ban demands in Cabinet

25 March 1998

Straw to raise foxhunting ban demands in Cabinet

HOME secretary Jack Straw promised a meeting of 163 Labour MPs last night that he would return to the Cabinet with their demands for action to revive an anti-foxhunting Bill.

The scale of the backbench meeting was seen as a clear warning to the Cabinet that action is needed despite the massive support for the Countryside Rally in London on 1 March.

Whips have warned ministers they would not be able to stop a full-scale rebellion to introduce a ban if the Government tried to resist it.

MPs warned Straw that unless Mike Fosters private members bill to ban hunting with hounds was given Government time to get through to the Lords, they could hijack his next Criminal Justice Bill.

• The Independent 25/03/98 page 6