Tories announce pursuits plans

THE CONSERVATIVE Party used the CLA Game Fair on Fri (Jul 23) to launch its consultation paper on shooting, fishing and horse riding.

The document: A Fair Deal For Country Sports was launched by Tory MP and Shadow Minister for Agriculture James Grey,

The consultation proposes many changes to existing laws regarding the three areas. 

“Some of the ideas are intentionally radical and fresh thinking, but we are not promising they will become official policy of the Conservative Party,” he said.

“One of the luxuries of opposition is to have the opportunity for clear and fundamental thinking, and to listen to people who are both informed and very often have very firm opinions in areas such as these,” he added.

Firstly, the Conservative Party if it were to seize power at the next general election would repeal any ban on fox hunting if one were to be imposed before the election.

They would undertake a review of the Game Act, abolish the licence to take and kill game and repeal the ban on dealing in game to allow the year-round selling of wild game meat.

The Tories would also relax the rules on horse passports making them a voluntary measure instead of a mandatory requirement.

A number of measures are also proposed to improve the lot of anglers across the country such as giving consideration to the abolition of Rod Licences and make the use of barbed hooks illegal.

But the National Angling Alliance would become a statutory consultee on all matters affecting angling and the preservation of fisheries.