Labour Party Faces Backlash for Excluding Hunting Group from Conference

The Labour Party has come under fire for denying the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) a stand at its upcoming conference in Liverpool. This decision has ignited a debate about the party's understanding of rural issues and its stance on hunting activities.

The BHSA, which governs trail hunts, applied to exhibit at the conference earlier this year. However, on August 6, 2024, Ann Kennedy, Labour's lead of exhibitions, informed the organization that their proposal had been declined. This rejection contrasts sharply with the approval granted to the League Against Cruel Sports, a prominent anti-hunting organization, to have a presence at the event.

Oliver Hughes, the BHSA's managing director, expressed deep concern over the situation. He stated, "Labour's refusal to engage with the trail hunting community confirms suspicions that the party does not understand or want to understand the countryside." Hughes emphasized the importance of trail hunts as community events that support local businesses and serve as focal points of rural life.

This controversy comes amid growing concerns about Labour's connections to anti-hunting groups. Dan Norris, MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, sits on the board of trustees of an animal rights charity. Additionally, Dale Vince, a major donor who has given over £5 million to the party since 2019, has also supported organizations like Just Stop Oil and Animal Rising.

The Labour Party's stance on hunting has been a contentious issue for years. In 2005, under Tony Blair's leadership, the party implemented a ban on fox hunting through the Hunting Act 2004. This legislation led to the development of trail hunting as an alternative activity. Now, nearly two decades later, Labour has pledged in its manifesto to ban trail hunting as well.

"This speaks to the Labour Party's 'two-tier' hypocrisy and reinforces prevailing sentiment that Environment Secretary Steve Reed does not understand the countryside."

It's worth noting that other countryside organizations, such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Countryside Alliance, have been granted approval to exhibit at the conference. This disparity in treatment has further fueled accusations of prejudice against the hunting community.

The situation has also drawn attention to broader issues of rural policing. Just a week ago, Ben Wallace, the former Defence Secretary who now sits on the BHSA board, expressed frustration over what he perceives as "a sense of two-tier policing" in the countryside, where legal trail hunts allegedly face harsher treatment than hunt saboteurs.

As the Labour Party Conference approaches, this controversy highlights the ongoing challenges in bridging the gap between urban and rural perspectives on traditional countryside activities. The debate surrounding hunting and its place in modern British society continues to be a divisive issue, with implications for both animal welfare and rural community traditions.