POLL: Do you back Jeremy Hunt as PM as he vows to bring back fox hunting?
Jeremy Hunt says he would make Esther McVey his deputy
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Jeremy Hunt joined the Tory leadership race last week and has promised to reverse a ban on fox hunting, declaring the practice an important part of the countryside’s “heritage”. The former Health Secretary told the Telegraph: “I would vote to repeal the ban on fox hunting. I would as soon as there was a majority in Parliament that would be likely to repeal the fox hunting ban, then I would support a vote in Parliament.”
He continued: “It is part of the countryside, and we have to recognise that in terms of the balance of the countryside. You know, it’s part of our heritage.”
He explained that he does not hunt himself but said he was “happy for people to do it”.
Hunting foxes and other wild mammals in England and Wales has been banned since 2004, under legislation introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour Government.
Labour has condemned Mr Hunt’s drive to reintroduce fox hunting, declaring the practice “barbaric”.
Ian Lavery, Labour Party chairman, said: “This Tory leadership race is going from bad to worse. We’ve had Johnson’s tax cuts for the wealthy, a race to the bottom on no deal Brexit, and now a pledge to bring back this barbaric practice that Labour had proudly banned.”
Mr Hunt lost out to Boris Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, and is looking to uphold his promise of a free vote on lifting the ban this time.
At the time, campaign group League Against Cruel Sports said Mr Hunt was “out of touch with public opinion” in offering a vote.
Mr Hunt told his leadership plans in the Sunday Telegraph and said he was the “only major candidate” who had not worked in Mr Johnson’s Government.
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He has vowed to reduce corporation tax from 25 percent to 15 percent and plans to use smart tax cuts to grow the economy.
During his time as Foreign Secretary, he championed net-zero carbon neutrality and could introduce politically mainstream climate commitments.
If successfully elected, he has promised to pick Brexiteer Esther McVey as his deputy.
So what do YOU think? Do you back Jeremy Hunt as Prime Minister as he vows to bring back fox hunting? Vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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