Two of Brighton and Hove’s MPs joined rock star Brian May at an event in support of the League Against Cruel Sports.
Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown, and Mike Weatherley, the MP for Hove, linked up with the Queen star to oppose a repeal of the hunting ban.
The pair belong to Conservatives Against Foxhunting.
Mr Kirby said: “This event is obviously testament to the fact that there are a new generation of Conservative MPs who reflect the majority of those in Britain who believe that the ban on foxhunting should remain in place.
“I’m happy to take this opportunity to reiterate my intention not to vote in favour of a repeal of the Hunting Act should the opportunity present itself over the course of this Parliament.
“Furthermore, the last Labour government spent a huge amount of parliamentary time on this issue and I personally believe it would send out the wrong message to bring it
back to the top of the political agenda at a time when the coalition government faces many other pressing matters.”
Mr Weatherley said: “I have made my views on foxhunting clear.
“I believe it constitutes a cruel sport and I am therefore pleased to lend my support to this campaign.
“I think a repeal of the Hunting Act would be a step in the wrong direction for Britain, and would go against the wishes of the majority of the public, as recent polling indicates.”
The League Against Cruel Sports commissioned a poll last month indicating that 59 per cent of respondents favoured keeping the current ban on foxhunting in place.
Excellent news to hear from those Tories who won’t legalise cruelty just to tow the nasty party line. We need more like you in this country!
“Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown, and Mike Weatherley, the MP for Hove, linked up with the Queen star to oppose a repeal of the hunting ban.”
Good for Mr Kirby and Mr Weatherley. Fox hunting was one of the reasons for me leaving the Conservative Party back in 1999. It was the nasty party then and much of it is still the same now, but Messrs. Kirby and Weatherley give me some hope for the future. And I write this as a farmer and a born-and-bred countryman who supports the 2004 Hunting Act and wishes to see it strengthened so that the so-called ‘sports’ of fox hunting, hare coursing, stag hunting, etc. are never made legal again. Good luck to you both, gentlemen, and to Brian May, a real hero.
I am very pleased to see my MP Mike Weatherly is against hunting and is very vocal about this. I believe this to be really important to his constituents as most people (75%) are against hunting with hounds and for repeal. It would also indicate a change in the typical Conservative values which can only be good and will prove that repealing hunting would be retrograde and cruel.