Reform Party and the Conservative Party are under fire for supporting what critics call “cruelty” by attending trail hunts on Boxing Day. Nigel Farage and Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake were seen at a hunt where dogs are still known to harm foxes during the events. Trail hunting involves following a laid-out scent rather than hunting real animals, as a substitute for the banned fox hunting implemented by the Labour Party in 2004.
Labour has promised to outlaw this practice as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy, aiming to enhance the well-being of pets, farm animals, and wildlife. Activists have condemned trail hunting as a cover-up for hunting wild animals.
Labour MP Luke Charters MP criticized Reform and the Tories for neglecting the concerns of working people while defending hunts that are often used to mask the killing of wildlife. Meanwhile, Labour is focused on modernizing animal welfare laws and addressing key issues like cost of living and healthcare.
Supporters of hunting have vowed to oppose the ban on trail hunting, with many gathering for the traditional Boxing Day meetings. Emma Slawinksi, CEO of the League Against Cruel Sports, suggested that the hunting community’s failure to comply with wildlife protection laws has led to the impending ban on trail hunting, accusing them of using it as a guise for illegal hunting practices.