February 17, 2005

There Will Always Be an England

But you may soon have trouble recognizing it as such:

Thousands of defiant fox-hunters have ridden out to enjoy their ancient pastime for one last time before the ancient pursuit was outlawed.

A ban on hunting with dogs in England and Wales came into force at midnight ending over 300 years of countryside tradition.

Or perhaps not:

For those unused to hunting, what happens after the ban is introduced will look, feel and smell like it does now," said a spokesman from the Countryside Alliance, the main pro-hunting lobby group, on Thursday.

"We see this as a temporary ban which is unenforceable."

The alliance estimates some 400,000 people will defy the ban by attending hunts on Saturday, dwarfing the traditional December 26 meets, normally the busiest in the calendar which attracted 275,000 people last year.

Release the hounds! It's in the trees, they're coming! I always like saying that, Kate Bush and all that, don't you know.

Posted by Charles Austin at February 17, 2005 09:44 PM
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