Why would a ban be an illiberal Act?
The Government promised to base its hunting with dogs legislation on ‘principle and evidence’ (e.g. the Burns Inquiry, the six month period consulting with all proponents of the argument, the Portcullis House Hearings). This resulted in a ‘licensing’ Bill. This Bill was then hijacked by the back bencher MPs and amended at Third Reading into an outright ban on all forms of hunting. It then ran out of Parliamentary time in the House of Lords. In bringing back the ‘banning’ Bill the Government has betrayed its responsibility to protect a minority from the abuse of power by the politically prejudiced. Governments should not criminalize activities without good reason, and no good reason or case has been made for the banning of hunting.
