Senior Labour figures act on reports that Theresa May will announce plans to permanently drop manifesto commitment

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Michael Gove is facing demands from Labour to explain whether the government has abandoned a Conservative general election manifesto pledge to give MPs a free vote on whether to overturn the foxhunting ban.



It follows reports that Theresa May will announce in early 2018 plans to permanently drop the commitment to a House of Commons vote, in a move that would risk infuriating rural Tories.



Theresa May 'set to abandon free vote pledge on foxhunting ban' Read more

Senior Labour figures have become increasingly aware of the government’s vulnerability on animal welfare issues. Sue Hayman, the shadow environment secretary, said Gove needed to make a statement clarifying the government’s plans.

Hayman said: “While hunts around the country continue to defy the ban, the vast majority of the public do not want a return of this cruel and barbaric activity. The Tories need to put the debate to rest and pledge that they will never again try to bring back foxhunting.

“If the Tories’ claims about animal welfare were true, they would have ruled out the return of foxhunting months ago, rethought their poorly regulated badger cull, and not tried to water down existing EU standards on animal welfare.”

A Downing Street source declined to say that initial reports in the Sunday Times were wrong but instead said it was “pure speculation” and reiterated the government’s position.

“There is no vote that could change the current policy on foxhunting scheduled in this session of parliament, which ends in 2019,” the source said.



Gove has prioritised animal welfare issues since being appointed environment secretary after the June election.



This weekend, he announced plans to end puppy smuggling. In a draft bill, animal sentience is enshrined in UK law and five-year jail sentences for animal cruelty are introduced.



It follows a widely distributed fake news story which claimed that the Tories did not believe that animals were sentient beings.



May surprised many when she announced plans during the election campaign to allow MPs to have a free vote on foxhunting.



During a factory visit to Leeds during the election campaign, she said: “As it happens, personally I have always been in favour of foxhunting, and we maintain our commitment – we have had a commitment previously as a Conservative party – to allow a free vote.”

It was banned by Tony Blair’s government in 2004 but has been at the forefront of campaigns by Conservative-leaning pressure groups including the Countryside Alliance.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, repeatedly criticised the prime minister for saying she was in favour of foxhunting during the election campaign.



The Conservatives pledged in their manifesto to hold a free vote on a bill in government, in time to allow parliament to decide the future of the Hunting Act 2004.

The policy’s omission from the Queen’s speech, which outlined the legislative programme for the parliamentary session of 2017 until 2019, was the first indicator that the plan had been put on the back burner.

The law, introduced by Labour in 2004, bans the use of dogs to hunt foxes and other wild mammals in England and Wales.