We’re constantly told the debate about hunting is a matter of rural opinion vs urban opinion.
Well not according to the latest poll by IPSOS MORI.
According to their survey which was released on Boxing Day, exactly the same percentage of rural inhabitants – 80% – are against fox hunting as urban inhabitants – also 80%.
And slightly more people who live in the country (89% and 94%) are against hare coursing and badger baiting than townies (87% and 92%).
The truth is that the Countryside Alliance and the National Farmers Union are not representative of rural opinion.
In fact the NFU is not even representative of farmers – they represent a mere 18% of them:
Most farmers support the badger cull? Erm, no actually, they don’t.
But the question is, if the public in both rural and urban areas is so solidly against fox hunting, why are we still debating this issue and why are there so few prosecutions?
Could it be because the police and the courts are scared stiff of moving against the powerful people who still like to indulge in this cruel activity?
