Less than 200 years ago Foxhunting replaced the hunting of deer as a major source of entertainment for the rich and landed gentry. Foxhunting then, and now, was only possible because of the massive amounts of land owned by a small number of people. This allowed them to roam over hundreds of miles of countryside in chase of a small furry creature.

How did they get this land? Well pretty simple, they stole it in a process started by William the Conqueror, continued by Henry the eighth and cemented by the various ‘Acts of Enclosure’ which removed the peasantry from their land[s] and forced them in to the factories, abroad or in to an early grave.

These actions have left land ownership in Britain in the hands of very few people such that today 189,000 families control over 40 million acres whilst the other 59 million live on 4.4 million acres. Dense overcrowded cities, sky-high rents and rocketing house prices are just some of the consequences.

The current bunch of large landowners, which includes the Royal Family, are the descendants of the violent bands of thieves and criminals who stole the land in the first place. Why they should, all these years later, be allowed to hang on to their ill-gotten gains is a question they have to tried to prevent being raised – first, by burying the only ‘official’ report into how much they own, then, by running the House of Commons through their dominance of the Conservative Party, and also running the House of Lords because; well because they are the Lords! They more or less owned the place till 1999. But not anymore.

Foxhunting for such people has represented the right to do what they want on land their ancestors stole, although they’re also prepared to do it on land they don’t own and don’t have permission to use, such is their arrogance. They want to maintain such ‘rights’ and hope that by forming and organising themselves in ‘The Countryside Alliance’ they can defend their privileges. Of course, they’re astute enough to know that their cause is not very popular and so they have sought to hide themselves and their real intentions by moderating their language and even pretending to take up some genuine concerns of the people living in rural areas. They have even suggested they are a ‘persecuted minority’. As this pamphlet graphically illustrates nothing is further from the truth.

The struggle to finish off foxhunting with hounds is by no means over. The victory of campaigners in getting the Scottish Parliament to outlaw this cruel and unnecessary activity should be celebrated gleefully, but news that ‘The Countryside Alliance’ intend to try and mount a legal challenge using the European Convention of Human Rights means the issue could drag on for some time. Remember that Laws to ban badger-hunting were first passed in 1973, but it took 3 further laws and eighteen years before badgers were fully protected.

Here’s hoping we’re not waiting until 2020 before foxhunting with hounds is finally banned. Court actions do, however, take a long time. There is also the question of the attitude of the Police to consider. Will they be prepared to act if the local gentry, major landowners or their supporters defy or break the law? Hunt saboteurs have continuously complained about the partiality of the police, harassing them, arresting them for minor offences whilst ignoring serious assaults, intimidation and harassment by those engaging in foxhunting. It will be interesting to see how vigorously future activities by foxhunters are policed.

All this aside, three cheers to the Scottish Parliament for banning hunting with dogs on February 13^th 2002. MP’s at the British Parliament are keen to follow their Scottish counterparts and in an ‘indicative vote’ they showed that on this issue, at least, they are in touch with the masses of people by voting to ban foxhunting with hounds. However, Tony Blair, appears to want to compromise and allow foxhunting in England and Wales to continue under a series of new, mainly self-regulatory, rules.

Blair would prefer to prevent ‘The Countryside Alliance’ from rallying its ‘troops’ as they have shown they are capable of mobilising at least a few hundred thousand on special occasions and who are predicting they will turn out half a million people at a Summer 2002 march. Blair does not wish to antagonise some of the largest landowners in Britain.

If the ‘Countryside Alliance’ are mobilising to defend their power and privileges then what are those opposed to foxhunting going to do? Clearly the continued lobbying of MPs is important, but how many Labour MPs are prepared to defy and/or leave the Labour Party if Blair reneges on another manifesto commitment? Not many I would bet.

You could support, join and get active in your local hunt saboteurs group. By turning out to oppose the foxhunters you can show them that you disapprove of their actions. Foxhunters have been suggesting that very few people turn out to oppose them.

You can also organise a meeting in your area - invite a speaker from the contact list at the back or contact RPM for a speaker [07967 886257]

Take additional copies of this pamphlet to sell to your friends and workmates

Get involved, or set-up a campaign to ‘reclaim the land’

However, as history has shown it is only possible to effectively challenge the power of the landed gentry, the aristocracy and the landowners when people are mobilised in opposition to them. Smallish groups of people, no matter how well intentioned, will be no match for these admittedly declining but still powerful forces.

This is an appeal to groups involved in Animal Liberation, Hunt Sabbing, Anti-Vivisection and those living and working in the Countryside who are opposed to foxhunting. Combine your activities, invite other organisations from the town and cities to join and get out into the communities and workplaces to build a mass campaign, which will end foxhunting for good and set the people on a course to ‘reclaim their land’.

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