Hunting Campaigners Lose Appeal of UK Ban

[Guest guest]

October 13, 2005

 

Reuters

 

 

Hunting Campaigners Lose Appeal of UK Ban

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Countryside campaigners have lost a key round in their legal

battle against the British government's ban on hunting.

 

Nine Law Lords Thursday unanimously ruled against their challenge in which the

Countryside Alliance claimed that the Hunting Act, which bans hunting with dogs,

was invalid.

 

The act, which came into force in February, prompted violent protests outside

parliament, including an invasion of the House of Commons by hunt supporters.

 

Normally only five Law Lords sit on legal matters but the case was regarded of

such constitutional importance that nine were called in to decide it.

 

The Countryside Alliance argued that the Act was approved by only the House of

Commons under the provisions of the 1949 Parliament Act which it said was itself

invalid.

 

In those circumstances, it said, the Hunting Act must also be regarded as

invalid.

 

The High Court and the Appeal Court had already rejected the Alliance's

arguments on this aspect of the challenge.

 

The Law Lords, whose decision is final, agreed, concluding the Parliament Act

was legal.

 

" It is obviously unfortunate that the Law Lords could not find in our favor, for

technical legal reasons, " said John Jackson the Countryside Alliance's chairman.

 

The ruling prompted concern that the House of Commons was free to change the

constitution as it wished without consent from the House of Lords or adequate

checks, he said.

 

The Countryside Alliance has a second challenge going through the courts in

which it claims the human rights of the hunting fraternity have been breached by

the ban.

 

The High Court rejected that claim in July and the Law Lords said Thursday's

decision would have no bearing on the outcome of a pending appeal.

 

" We will continue to fight the Hunting Act in the courts and in the political

arena, " Jackson said.

 

" Every hunt around the country is continuing to meet and use a variety of

methods to hunt within the law in defiance of the ban. "

 

When they kick out your front door

How you gonna come?

With your hands on your head

Or on the trigger of your gun

 

When the law break in

How you gonna go?

Shot down on the pavement

Or waiting on death row

[Guest guest]

Nice article, nice Clash lyrics.

 

The Valley Vegan........fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

October 13, 2005ReutersHunting Campaigners Lose Appeal of UK Ban LONDON (Reuters) - Countryside campaigners have lost a key round in their legal battle against the British government's ban on hunting. Nine Law Lords Thursday unanimously ruled against their challenge in which the Countryside Alliance claimed that the Hunting Act, which bans hunting with dogs, was invalid.The act, which came into force in February, prompted violent protests outside parliament, including an invasion of the House of Commons by hunt supporters.Normally only five Law Lords sit on legal matters but the case was regarded of such constitutional importance that nine were called in to decide it.The Countryside Alliance argued that the Act was approved by only the House of Commons under the provisions of the 1949 Parliament Act which it said was

itself invalid.In those circumstances, it said, the Hunting Act must also be regarded as invalid.The High Court and the Appeal Court had already rejected the Alliance's arguments on this aspect of the challenge.The Law Lords, whose decision is final, agreed, concluding the Parliament Act was legal."It is obviously unfortunate that the Law Lords could not find in our favor, for technical legal reasons," said John Jackson the Countryside Alliance's chairman.The ruling prompted concern that the House of Commons was free to change the constitution as it wished without consent from the House of Lords or adequate checks, he said.The Countryside Alliance has a second challenge going through the courts in which it claims the human rights of the hunting fraternity have been breached by the ban.The High Court rejected that claim in July and the Law Lords said Thursday's decision would have no bearing on the outcome of a pending

appeal."We will continue to fight the Hunting Act in the courts and in the political arena," Jackson said."Every hunt around the country is continuing to meet and use a variety of methods to hunt within the law in defiance of the ban."When they kick out your front doorHow you gonna come?With your hands on your headOr on the trigger of your gunWhen the law break inHow you gonna go?Shot down on the pavementOr waiting on death row