[Closed] Is May about to call an election?

@deadly Macron made a point of appearing in front of EU flags all through the campaign and came on stage to the EU Anthem "ode to joy"

So far on Fox Hunting I see strongly non-Tory voters remaining strongly non-Tory.

you see strongly non tories mocking the tories for a deeply unpopular policy

The reality is only devout tories actually see this as an issue everyone else opposes it as any survey quickly shows

TBH i bet not even the majority of tory voters support hunting.

TBH i bet not even the majority of tory voters support hunting.

It's even questionable as to whether a majority of their MPs would support it. Anyway, as I said earlier, I couldn't even be sure some of our swivel-eyed Tories support it either - for many of them it's partisan first, animal welfare and the relevant views of the majority of the public second and a chance to wind up "the lefties".

@deadly Macron made a point of appearing in front of EU flags all through the campaign and came on stage to the EU Anthem "ode to joy"

Did he really? Crikey, I missed all that in my tumescence at the neo-fascists being put to the sword. Again.

Anyway, did he claim a strong mandate on Brexit negotiations because of his election win?

Hang on, did May announce this policy pearl [fox-hunting] in a frickin' factory? 😆

Personally I am big supporter of a return of fox hunting. What to do about them in the cities is the real issue.

Blair kept deferring the vote again and again, he well knew hunting is important to country areas.

Well getting dressed up and charging across the landscape on horseback with your mates is important - and I can understand that.
Controlling foxes may be important - but that's less clear.
Personally I'd like to see the hunt back as a spectacle (ok it never went away) but now including an MTB chapter, meanwhile professional gamekeepers stay on top of the fox issue.

We almost ended fox hunting with dogs round here one time when the fox decided to cross a dual carriageway and the dogs decided to follow. I wasn't in the first rank of cars that had to brake but it was interesting watching the huntsmen trying to control the dogs.

Blair kept deferring the vote again and again, he well knew hunting was a great distraction, allowing him to do all sorts of stuff and then just yelling 'class war! Look at the nasty toffs!' and getting all of the people who didn't like what he was doing back on side

FTFY.

As Junky said earlier, hunting wasn't/isn't a big thing. It was/is a politically expedient foil, however.

Good to see you Flashy. Not often you venture outside the snow thread.

Bizarre season this year wouldn't you say?

Personally I am big supporter of a return of fox hunting.

Badger-baiting, hare-coursing and bull-stabbing too low-class for you, or just fancy a bit of variety?

What to do about them in the cities is the real issue.

We feed them. By the dustbins. Every night. They leave the dustbins alone. YMMV but please stay off our land with your 'sport'.

Here's a few reminders:

[b]Fact vs. Fiction - the myths surrounding the Hunting Act[/b]

The Hunting Act 2004 outlawed the chasing and killing of wild animals with packs of dogs but now it's under threat of being overturned. We debunk some of the myths perpetuated by those seeking a return to cruelty.

[b]Fiction: [/b]Hunting is essential to control the fox population
[b]Fact:[/b] There’s little scientific evidence to support the argument that hunting with hounds is necessary for controlling the fox population..

The Westminster Government’s inquiry into Hunting With Dogs, concluded:

The overall contribution of traditional fox hunting, within the overall total of control techniques involving dogs is almost insignificant in terms of management of the fox population as a whole.
In fact, some hunts have even encouraged foxes to live and breed in their area by building artificial earths and putting food down to make sure there are enough foxes to be hunted for so-called ‘sport’.

[b]Fiction: [/b]Foxes are dangerous to people and pets!
[b]Fact: [/b]This is simply scaremongering.

Confirmed attacks on people are extremely rare and as TV presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham pointed out, you’re in fact approximately 62 times more likely to be bitten by a human than you are a fox.

There’s also no evidence that the parasites and diseases foxes may be carrying pose any significant risk to people or domestic pets and there are very few attacks by foxes on domestic pets as foxes are natural scavengers.

[b]Fiction:[/b] Hunting is humane, foxhounds are trained to kill with a nip to the back of the neck
[b]Fact:[/b] You don’t need to be a scientist to know that chasing a mammal, often to the point of exhaustion and allowing a pack of dogs to rip it apart, in the name of ‘sport’, is inhumane.

A study of post-mortem examinations of foxes killed by hounds above ground undermined this claim, indicating that the animals died from profound trauma inflicted by multiple dog bites rather than a ‘quick bite to the neck’.

The study showed that in many cases foxes are disemboweled first. The Burns report also concluded that hunting with dogs causes animal suffering both during the latter stages of the chase and at the kill.

[b]Fiction: [/b]The Hunting Act has done nothing for animal welfare
[b]Fact:[/b] The RSPCA, League Against Cruel Sports, CPS and police have successfully prosecuted 344 people for offences under the Hunting Act since it came into force. The number of successful prosecutions under the Hunting Act compares favourably with other wildlife legislation aimed at protecting animals.

Those who seek a repeal of the Hunting Act are quite clearly not on a mission to improve animal welfare.

[b]Fiction: [/b]Hunts target old, weak and sick animals to maintain the health of the population
[b]Fact: [/b]This is nonsense. Hounds will pick up the scent of any fox they happen upon during the hunting season regardless of their health.

This claim also conveniently ignores the barbaric act of cub hunting, when fox cubs were specifically targeted for pre-season hunting, each year, to train the new hounds to kill.

[b]Fiction: [/b]Nobody has the right to ban a sport, this is an issue of civil liberties
[b]Fact:[/b] There's no human right to be cruel to an animal in the name of ‘sport’ or otherwise. Such challenges to the law have been thrown out by the European Court of Human Rights and the House of Lords.

The Hunting Act does nothing to stop people from participating in the ceremony of the hunt and riding across the country on horseback with their hounds, nor from participating in cruelty free alternatives such as drag hunting. It only stops the violent spectacle of an animal being torn limb from limb.

[url= https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/hunting/facts ]RSPCA[/url]

Not often you venture outside the snow thread.

He normally appears for perceived easy targets. Like Corbyn. Or Abbott.

Kinda like 30 or 40 people dressed like arseholes using a load of dogs and horses to chase a fox. Haw haw. Tally-ho.

We've got seagulls in our town, and we're pretty much inland as it gets for the UK.

Animals adapt.

Well maybe not humans.

The revival of the fox hunting thing is a smoke screen if you ask me. And a say this as someone who used to saboture.

Don't suppose the CPS has anything to announce over the next few days has it?

It was/is a politically expedient foil, however.

Its such a strange issue to be pro

the reality is most folks have a very very low opinion of the sort of person that would do this for sport and fun. It seems strange to want to associate yourself with it when the majority of the populous still support a ban. its making it an issue.t
Perhaps its because that type will vote on that one issue and the type opposed wont ??

Its such a strange issue to be pro

Just occurred to me, did these pro-cruelty dicks maybe get somewhat bored with hunting down the disabled and otherwise vulnerable members of society? Think if they get handed back their upper-crust [s]cockfight[/s] [s]dog-fighting[/s] fox-torturing rituals they'll ease up on the other stuff?

[quote=binners ]You do realise its a precursor? They're just softening everyone up for the introduction of peasant-hunting?
The red coats, horses and hounds, horns echoing, rampaging through council estates, picking off the Greggs munching inhabitants, carrying off their huge widescreen TV's as trophies, as they burn their benefits books, and sell off their council house to a private landlord fellow MP for twenty quid. Or demolishing them if they're in London, and immediately selling off the land to an offshore hedge fund, with the flats already sold to investors in Dubai.
The streets will run gold, with punctured Stella cans washing over the tracksuits of the dead

Ahem: http://newsthump.com/2014/10/01/we-will-let-you-hunt-the-poor-with-dogs-promises-osborne/

Did he really? Crikey, I missed all that in my tumescence at the neo-fascists being put to the sword. Again.

😆

There really is no credible reason to bring back fox hunting, end of.

If there are too many foxes, then trap/shoot them. No need to have toffs on horses chasing them with dogs...

Funny that all the townie dwelling lefties on here think that hunting with hounds involves people riding horses 😆

Let them bring back fox hunting, just make sure the next time it will be banned, its done properly unlike in 2004.

Some 'town-dwellng lefties'. [url= http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/hunting ]Earlier[/url]

Funny that all the townie dwelling lefties on here think that hunting with hounds involves people riding horses

"townie-dwelling leftie" here that grew up on a farm...

Given the amount of discussion going on what are they trying to hide? I see gove was interviewed but it must be something bigger than that.

Given the amount of discussion going on what are they trying to hide? I see gove was interviewed but it must be something bigger than that.

The CPS are about to announce if they are pressing charges for electoral fraud

Well there we go. Explains a lot. She has a great pr team, didn't even need to bump off old Phil.

Funny that all the townie dwelling lefties on here think that hunting with hounds involves people riding horses

Just for you here is The Countryside Alliance's delightful [i]"Introduction to Fox Hunting for Kids"[/i] booklet featuring lots of photos of people riding horses:

Blimmin' town-dwelling lefties 🙄

Right wing swivel eyed loon trolling aside.

I suspect it'll be a lot harder to maintain hunting in its original form these days. Live broadcast of foxes being ripped apart on your child's Facebook timeline anyone?

As mentioned above, it looks almost certainly like it's intended to distract from potentially fraudulent activities.

Posted by a countryside born and raised centre left libertarian if it helps you disregard my opinion easier.

Maybot and her hubby were on the one show last night.

That's the kind of safe space she likes, no tough questions, fawning interviewer.

It was well within her operational parameters.

Another bonus for May is Trump's shitshow, overshadowing the CPS electoral fraud announcement

Funny that all the townie dwelling lefties on here think that hunting with hounds involves people riding horses

Another "town dwelling leftie" here....who happneded to go grow up on a farm, go to agricultural college & worked in farming for 10 years..

You don't know what you're talking about.

Maybot and her hubby were on the one show last night.

Did she say that she had a "stable" childhood? 😀

I live in a town where we are surrounded by countryside. We have both urban and country foxes. I also have friends who keep chickens and foxes have never been an issue: just protect your enclosures properly.

Foxes are impressive creatures who can survive in urban townscapes and high Himalayan mountains alike. They were here long before us and it is us who should adapt to them, not the other way around.

Hunting is a barbaric, unnecessary, outdated, bloodsport that not only treats foxes in a despicable manner but also the hounds they use.
The hunts also treat the countryside as if it's their own playground.

Another "town dwelling leftie" here....who happneded to go grow up on a farm, go to agricultural college & worked in farming for 10 years..

You don't know what you're talking about.

I suggest you actually read what I said

I suggest you actually read what I said

Indulge me & explain it for the audience..

Foxes were much more of an issue when I lived in the town. They ripped apart 3 of our ducks when we didn't get them in one evening.

Since living in the country (and now having chickens instead of ducks) foxes are nowhere to be seen. I have probably seen 2 in 16 years. They stay away from people and only come out in the dark so as long as your birds are away before it is dark it is fine.

As for fox hunting, that still seems to go on. I rode into the middle of an obvious hunt a few weeks back and they were not happy to see me.

But in reality, hunting is such an irrelevance to 99.9% of people I am not sure why it even gets any air time...

O ye gods I fell for trolling again. Must remember names...

I suggest you actually read what I said

Why on earth would any of us bother to do that?

@Lebowski

The previous page contained such coherent arguments against hunting as:

[i]If people want to dress like arseholes and have jolly japes around the countryside on their horses...
Upper class twits prancing round the countryside like dicks...
The red coats, horses and hounds, horns echoing,..
Well getting dressed up and charging across the landscape on horseback with your mates is important ..[/i]

Which sit in the factual bracket of how mountain bikers should be banned because they all wear day glow Lycra and run over ramblers - people making these arguments are only revealing their own ignorance, shed loads of hunts out there that have nothing to do with horses (and that the burns inquiry accepted were an effective form of control too) - I've hunted with hounds loads of times, Never been a horse there.

So that's your argument in favour of bringing back hunting with dogs?....

Shame the Gov & the RSPCA disagree with you.... but hey ho, that's experts for you!

[url= https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/hunting/facts ]Hunting facts..[/url]

BOTTOM LINE: IT'S INEFFECTIVE & INHUMANE. That's about all you need to know..

after listening so someone or other from labour being grilled on the radio over how they are going to pay for an education pledge, why isn't Chairman May being grilled repeatedly over how she's going to pay for a hard brexit?

That wasn't the finding of the (government commissioned, independent and extensive) Burns inquiry, nor does it explain why you were so offended when I pointed out hunting had nothing to do with people being on horses (because your reaction was a visceral townie thrashing out against something you thought I was saying rather than to what I actually said)

I've hunted with hounds loads of times, Never been a horse there.

Beagling. 😆

That wasn't the finding of the (government commissioned, independent and extensive) Burns inquiry, nor does it explain why you were so offended when I pointed out hunting had nothing to do with people being on horses (because your reaction was a visceral townie thrashing out against something you thought I was saying rather than to what I actually said)

Nah, I just don't like you.

As for being a townie? I spent 10 years as a farm manager & a childhood on a farm.

Proper townie me not understanding the ****reeeee wayzzzzzzz......

Ninfan - round here there is/was a mounted hunt. I'm only talking about what I see with my own eyes and what I hear from people who ride round hear. My wife rides though not with the hunt.
Towny by birth, but not where I live now.

It might help you to read what I wrote. Fool.

round here there is/was a mounted hunt

Ah, 'round here'

Right

Thanks for proving my point

@mrlebowski - but you live in a town now, right? 😉

but you live in a town now, right?

Yes, & your point is?....

So, when I put all this opposition down to town [u]dwelling[/u] lefties, turns out I was right in the first place 😀