UK Govt Puts Fox Hunting Vote On Hold
Vote on changing the law in England & Wales postponed after SNP threatens to oppose it
A vote to relax the fox-hunting ban in England and Wales has been postponed after the SNP's decision to take part in the division made defeat almost certain.
The controversial vote, scheduled for Wednesday, would have brought the law south of the border in line with that in Scotland, where an unlimited number of dogs can be used to 'flush out' a fox to be shot, compared to just two in England and Wales.
The SNP's 56 MPs agreed on Monday to break with their normal practice of not voting on England-only matters and join Labour in opposing the proposal.
Together with a number of anti-hunting Conservative MPs, who have been granted a free vote on the issue, this was expected to be enough to block the change. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon directly linked the move to the Government's plans for `'English votes for English laws' (EVEL). And she warned that her party would be prepared to vote on other issues where Scotland is not directly affected in the months ahead.
Downing Street left no doubt that it was the SNP decision which prompted the delay in the hunting vote.
A source said: "This happened because Nicola Sturgeon has done a 180-degree u-turn. Her actions speak for themselves. That's why we are in the position we are in.''
Number 10 had previously indicated that Prime Minister David Cameron intended to vote in favour of the reform.
The SNP decision drew an angry response from Conservative MPs and is likely to lead to demands for ministers to press on with EVEL, as more power was devolved to the Scottish Parliament in the wake of last year's referendum vote.
Senior Tory backbencher Sir Peter Bottomley said: "The Scottish National Party risk making themselves look foolish, unprincipled and unwise by voting against making English law similar to Scottish law.
"This action is naive - it makes them look silly and is perhaps the first major mis-step by Nicola Sturgeon.''
A Conservative source said: "Hunting is a devolved issue. The SNP's decision to vote on a draft law that does not affect Scotland at all shows exactly why Conservatives committed in our manifesto to ensure laws that only affect England can only be passed with the consent of English MPs.''