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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| National Trust fights membership over resolution to ban hunting | National Trust fights membership over resolution to ban hunting |
| (5 months later) | |
| Ben Quinn | |
| Sun 3 Sep 2017 00.04 BST | |
| Last modified on Sat 2 Dec 2017 02.46 GMT | |
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| The board of the National Trust is to urge its members to vote against a landmark resolution at its forthcoming annual conference that would effectively ban all hunting with hounds on trust land if passed. | The board of the National Trust is to urge its members to vote against a landmark resolution at its forthcoming annual conference that would effectively ban all hunting with hounds on trust land if passed. |
| The intervention comes amid an increasingly tense debate around trail hunting – in which hounds and riders follow a scent that was laid earlier – but which has long been regarded by animal rights campaigners as a means of circumventing the hunting ban. | The intervention comes amid an increasingly tense debate around trail hunting – in which hounds and riders follow a scent that was laid earlier – but which has long been regarded by animal rights campaigners as a means of circumventing the hunting ban. |
| Dozens of trust members, including the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, have endorsed a motion that will be debated at the annual meeting next month, that would revoke all licences allocated to hunts using trust land. | Dozens of trust members, including the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, have endorsed a motion that will be debated at the annual meeting next month, that would revoke all licences allocated to hunts using trust land. |
| The Observer has seen details of a response by the trust’s 12-member board which will be sent to members this week. It urges them to oppose the motion on the basis of new measures to tighten the licensing regime and a pledge to examine the track record of each applicant hunt. | The Observer has seen details of a response by the trust’s 12-member board which will be sent to members this week. It urges them to oppose the motion on the basis of new measures to tighten the licensing regime and a pledge to examine the track record of each applicant hunt. |
| The board is proposing the prohibition of fox-based scents, which it says are a major contributor to the potential for accidental fox chases, and a ban on the presence of hunt “terriermen”, whose dogs are used to block foxes going to earth and have little role in a trail hunt according to anti-hunt campaigners. | The board is proposing the prohibition of fox-based scents, which it says are a major contributor to the potential for accidental fox chases, and a ban on the presence of hunt “terriermen”, whose dogs are used to block foxes going to earth and have little role in a trail hunt according to anti-hunt campaigners. |
| Other measures include plans “to develop a closer working relationship with the National Wildlife Crime Unit”. The board also says it issued 79 licences to 67 hunts last year and took legal action against trail hunts on six occasions. | Other measures include plans “to develop a closer working relationship with the National Wildlife Crime Unit”. The board also says it issued 79 licences to 67 hunts last year and took legal action against trail hunts on six occasions. |
| However, supporters of the resolution have described the changes to the trust’s trail hunting policy as “a cynical attempt to divert attention from the vote on a members’ resolution to stop hunting”. | However, supporters of the resolution have described the changes to the trust’s trail hunting policy as “a cynical attempt to divert attention from the vote on a members’ resolution to stop hunting”. |
| “Most of these ‘changes’ are a mere repetition of what the licences already contain and have already contained for years,” said a statement from National Dis-Trust, a grouping of animal rights activists and National Trust members. | “Most of these ‘changes’ are a mere repetition of what the licences already contain and have already contained for years,” said a statement from National Dis-Trust, a grouping of animal rights activists and National Trust members. |
| “This policy update, which the trust’s own staff are describing as a ploy, is not to be believed, nothing more than an attempt to further mask widespread wildlife crime. It demonstrates that the trust management have no intention of stopping criminal bloodsports on their land, and reinforces the need for members to step in and defend wildlife in a way that the trust cannot.” | “This policy update, which the trust’s own staff are describing as a ploy, is not to be believed, nothing more than an attempt to further mask widespread wildlife crime. It demonstrates that the trust management have no intention of stopping criminal bloodsports on their land, and reinforces the need for members to step in and defend wildlife in a way that the trust cannot.” |
| Helen Beynon, a National Trust member and one of the organisers of the motion, said: “Through the commitment of a small team of conservationists and supporters, we have succeeded in taking this to a vote. This members’ resolution should signal the death knell for hunting with hounds on huge swaths of land from Snowdonia to Borrowdale and end the dangers of packs of hounds exercising on trust beaches and nature reserves. I don’t doubt that the majority of members would support this resolution, if they are only made aware.” | Helen Beynon, a National Trust member and one of the organisers of the motion, said: “Through the commitment of a small team of conservationists and supporters, we have succeeded in taking this to a vote. This members’ resolution should signal the death knell for hunting with hounds on huge swaths of land from Snowdonia to Borrowdale and end the dangers of packs of hounds exercising on trust beaches and nature reserves. I don’t doubt that the majority of members would support this resolution, if they are only made aware.” |
| A spokesperson for the National Trust said: “Our trustees’ response to the resolution ahead of the annual general meeting will be communicated to members first, next week. We will not be saying anything before then.” | A spokesperson for the National Trust said: “Our trustees’ response to the resolution ahead of the annual general meeting will be communicated to members first, next week. We will not be saying anything before then.” |
| While the result of the forthcoming vote will not be binding, the trust has said that its board will “consider carefully” the outcome. The trust, which has Prince Charles as its president, declined to say whether the board held its own vote. | While the result of the forthcoming vote will not be binding, the trust has said that its board will “consider carefully” the outcome. The trust, which has Prince Charles as its president, declined to say whether the board held its own vote. |
| The board is chaired by Tim Parker, and the other 11 members include Orna NiChionna, a non-executive director of Royal Mail, historian and broadcaster Gus Casely-Hayford, landowner and government rural affairs adviser David Fursdon, curator and former National Portrait Gallery director Sandy Nairne, property investor John Sell, the financier David Smart and others who have served in public roles. | The board is chaired by Tim Parker, and the other 11 members include Orna NiChionna, a non-executive director of Royal Mail, historian and broadcaster Gus Casely-Hayford, landowner and government rural affairs adviser David Fursdon, curator and former National Portrait Gallery director Sandy Nairne, property investor John Sell, the financier David Smart and others who have served in public roles. |
| The National Trust | |
| The Observer | |
| Hunting | |
| Animals | |
| Rural affairs | |
| Ranulph Fiennes | |
| Prince Charles | |
| news | |
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