Hunts like this on game reserves in the Scottish Borders are legal, but Labor says they are being used as cover for illegal hunting. By Chris Strickland for The Telegraph
Labor “fuelling the flames of a disgusting culture war” with plans to ban trail hunting.
Sir Keir Starmer's party intends to include in its manifesto a pledge to end trail hunting, which it claims is used as a “smokescreen” for illegal fox hunting.
Fox hunting has been banned in England and Wales under the last Labor government in 2005, but trail hunting, where hounds follow a scented rag, remained legal.
Duke of Buccleuch's Foxhounds at Makerstone near Kelso Photo: Chris Strickland for the Telegraph
Labour's plans now include trail hunting The ban if the party wins the general election has sparked a furious response from the Countryside Alliance. Tim Bonner, the party's chief executive, said: “Labour's continued obsession with hunting shows that the party has not changed.
“This new attack on trail hunting is senseless, biased and will fan the flames of a terrible culture war.”Mr Bonner said the Hunting Act 2004, which prohibits fox hunting, meant hunting wild mammals was prohibited. It is illegal to have dogs and hundreds of people have been convicted of this crime. He added: “There is no logical justification for the new law.”
Mr Bonner said it was “completely strange” that Labor was now “seeking to ban something they think people should do after In 2005, he banned traditional hunting.”
He also said that such a policy risks destroying “an important part of the rural community.”
He said: “Hunting brings people together in some of the most remote and isolated areas of the countryside. They play a really important role as a social center. The end of the hunt will be devastating for many people.”
Hunt's supporters marched in support of their cause during the 2022 Whitehall Rural March year. Photo: Eddie Mulholland for Telegraph 
One of the posters shown at the 2022 Countryside March in Whitehall Photo: Eddie Mulholland for the Telegraph
Labour's manifesto will also include a promise to ban the use of snares, which use thin wire as a noose to catch rabbits and foxes.
< p >Mr Bonner explained that modern snares contain foxes rather than kill them and are widely used by game wardens to control fox populations.
“They are particularly important in mountainous areas where they play a large role in protecting very vulnerable species such as curlew, grouse and gray partridge from predators,” he said.
“All of these birds are extremely vulnerable and are endangered species listed in the Red Book, and they absolutely need all possible protection from foxes.
“ Snare traps are one of the key tools hunters and land managers use to control fox populations. This is a direct attack on game shooting.”
Ban on backdoor shooting
The Welsh Labor Government has previously been accused of planning a “backdoor shooting ban” after it was advised to limit the release of wild birds.
Natural Resources Wales has recommended strict rules limiting the release of partridges and pheasants on the grounds that they are not a native species.
Sir Keir has previously said the Welsh Government is providing a “blueprint” for “what Labor can do across the UK.”
A Labor spokesman said : “This Conservative government has abandoned our rural communities.”
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“Working families in rural communities face low wages, rising poverty and the highest tax burden in 70 years.”
“Farmers are locked behind unnecessary trade barriers that block the export of high-quality produce, soaring energy prices are forcing thousands out of business.”
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