Letter: ​We need a free vote on a foxhunting ban, held on both sides of the border

Though opinion polls show huge support for a foxhunt ban in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, powerful advocates of the blood sport expect to get their way:

Here in the Republic the three largest parties look set to whip their TDs into rejecting an anti-hunt Bill.

And Sinn Fein will most likely apply the whip in the Stormont assembly vote on John Blair's bill.

Unfortunately, foxhunters have always been politically well-connected.

I’m reminded of the infamous case of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

In the early 19th century, the Earl of Darlington was furious when he learned that the proposed railway line would be crossing a part of his land containing a fox covert.

He stressed that normally his hunt would be sure to raise a fox from this artificial earth.

He wrote to the railway committee, warning that “a nasty noisy train clattering across the land” would upset his sport.

He lobbied his parliamentary colleagues to oppose a bill aimed at allowing the railway over the contentious piece of land.

Other pro-foxhunting MPs rallied to the cause.

He got his way: The bill was defeated by 106 votes to 93.

I’d like to think we’ve moved beyond the Lord Darlington era, especially since Britain itself, formerly the home of foxhunting, has said goodbye to the practice.

In both jurisdictions on this island, politicians of all parties should have a free vote on the future of foxhunting.

The days when you could, like His Lordship, move heaven and earth to preserve this barbarism should be long past.

John Fitzgerald, Co Kilkenny