Countryside will 'erupt in fury' if it is not heard, warns alliance (UK PROTEST UPDATE)

The countryside will erupt in fury if the Government does not listen to the Liberty and Livelihood march's concern about a possible ban on hunting, John Jackson, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, warned yesterday.

At the start of the largest civil rights demonstration ever staged in the British Isles - which according to alliance figures attracted 407,791 people on to the streets of London between 10am and 5.38pm - Mr Jackson said hunting was the marchers' "touchstone issue".

His warning was echoed by one of his regional chairmen, Michael Clayton, who said that in Leicestershire's hunting country, where 1,000 riders joined a protest last week, people were ready to be criminalised if there was a ban.

Alun Michael, the rural affairs minister, infuriated marchers by trying to play down the significance of their demonstration, saying its message was a "muddle".

For a government that cherishes its ability to spin, this is unbelievably stupid - Ivan

Mr Michael, responding to the demonstration on behalf of the Government, said he was "left with a little puzzlement" after watching the march about what its message had been.

He said: "I certainly don't want to dismiss either the scale or the feelings of the people who were on this march, but do have to ask the question, What's it all about?

"I have been involved in demonstrations myself. If we were marching against apartheid in South Africa we knew exactly what we were marching for and marching against.

"If there were protests about how the mining industry was damaged or about the poll tax, we knew exactly what it was about. I believe there has been a muddle at the heart of today's march."

Mr Michael accused the Countryside Alliance of trying to hijack the many genuine rural concerns of people on the march with its message about hunting.

Since Mr. Michael has no idea, I'll spell it out here: the countryside has suffered from several catastrophes since Labour has come to power. The first was foot and mouth crisis, in which the government responded too slowly, and didn't use plans drawn up from previous experience; that cost the farmers millions. The second is the tide of EU regulation; no matter how absurd and ridiculous, Labour is enthusiastic about the EU regulations and it is constricting the farmers' ability to make a living. Third, is the ban on hunting - which is adding insult to injury. The government is persecuting their way of life out of existence and that is why the protest was so huge. Clear? - Ivan

However, Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory leader, said that was like saying a "jumbo jet had been hijacked by British Airways".

Mr Michael said later that he would be clearer when he had spoken to fellow Labour MPs at the party conference about whether the message of the march would make them more likely to support the Bill he was drawing up, rather than voting to amend it to an unqualified ban as they had before.

Kate Hoey, the pro-hunting Labour MP for Vauxhall, said as she arrived at the starting point in Hyde Park: "No one on this march is in favour of a ban on hunting."

Earlier, as the marchers massed for the 10am start at two points in London, Mr Jackson and Richard Burge, the Countryside Alliance's chief executive, spelt out the alliance's concerns.

Mr Jackson said: "We want any legislation on hunting to be clearly based on the evidence, to be just and to recognise the rights of local communities that are laid down in letters of fire in the Rio Declaration."

Asked what would happen if the Government did not listen to the marchers' concerns, specifically about hunting and field sports, he said: "I think the countryside will erupt in fury. What form that fury will take I'm not certain, but I have no doubts about the depth and intensity of the fury you will see.

"We will see a public outpouring of anger of a kind that has not been seen for a very long time."

I am a city person, but I can speak for many city people that we have a special affection for the countryside. If they revolt, we will too. - Ivan

Mr Burge said: "We ask for tolerance. We demand that tolerance is given us. We are not a colony, we are an equal and valued part of this nation."

He accused Parliament of wasting time on unnecessary debates about banning hunting when rural homelessness had gone up by 13 per cent since 1997, three times the rate of urban areas.

While the Government had announced a £250 million programme for cheap "starter homes" for essential public workers, only 300 of the 10,000 planned new houses would be in rural areas.

Mr Burge added: "This march is about getting the respect of people who will say: 'What's gone so wrong that ordinary, decent people are having to take to the streets just to secure a way of life?' This is about all of us standing together."

Ben Gill, speaking for the National Farmers' Union, said many farmers were working 60 to 70 hours a week and earning £3 per hour - well below the £4.20 minimum wage. There had been an "exodus" of farmers from the industry in the past five years.

"The rural economy is suffering considerably. That is something the Government should be thinking about," he said.

The alliance urged other countryside bodies yesterday to form a new rural lobbying group, the countryside counterpart of the Trades Union Congress and Confederation of British Industry.

Invitations have been sent to dozens of groups for a conference, setting up a Rural Council, which will be held within the next six weeks.

Approaches are being made not only to those who supported yesterday's march, but others, such as the National Trust, that were not involved.

Organisations that the alliance hopes will be involved include the National Farmers' Union and the Country Landowners and Business Association. "We want this to be as inclusive as possible," said an alliance spokesman.

It is hoped that the conference will lead to the creation of a body capable of putting a united countryside case to the Government and the Department of Rural Affairs in particular.

Mr Jackson sent an open letter to the Prime Minister at the end of the march calling for an inquiry into the role of supermarkets in the food chain and action to enable farmers to make a fair living without being dependent on subsidies.

Mr Jackson called for the countryside to be given equal provision of health care, education and public security as urban areas. The rural shopping list included a demand for broadband internet connections to be extended to the countryside, bringing Britain into line with other European Union members.

I have a funny feeling giving them internet connections so they can post to message boards, etc, is the last thing the government wants - Ivan

• The Prince of Wales has written to Tony Blair saying he believes hunting people are victimised more than ethnic minorities and homosexuals.

In a letter, the thrust of which was leaked on the eve of the Liberty and Livelihood march, Prince Charles told the Prime Minister that he agreed with a farmer in Cumbria who told him: "If we as a group were black or gay, we would not be victimised or picked upon."

The letter, written earlier this year, told Mr Blair that if country people were "any other minority" the Government would make greater efforts to protect them.

Spokesmen for Prince Charles and for Downing Street declined to comment yesterday.

Neither the Prince nor Camilla Parker Bowles attended the protest, although staff at Highgrove were given leave to attend.

Nice website, but I couldn't find an answer to my main question: Why on earth is the government pushing for a ban on hunting in the first place?

To take guns away from the citizenry of England.
It really is as simple as that.

It all began just after the turn of the century, with the Bolshevik Revolution and the rise of Socialism/Communism, and.... something else.

The Unions.
Industry in Britain up to that point was rigidly controlled by the Owners, and Workers had virtually no rights whatsoever.
They were basically "used" until they became ill or died.

Up to this point, there were no laws concerning guns at all.
Guns of all types were sold in every type of shop, and anyone that had the money could buy one.
Any 12 year old could buy a gun if they wished.

Industrialists (and their government lackeys) were suddenly very afraid of a massive workers uprising.
Workers riots and protests had already begun, and visions of massive gunfights breaking out were in the minds of every Manufacturer, and their governmental cronies.

Thus, a massive anti-gun campaign was begun, using a now familiar propaganda tool.

The Criminal Element, and Allegations of a Rise in Crime.
Gun Crime.

The government controlled News Media was fed stories of terrible gun violence, crime "statistics" showing an alarming rate of armed criminal action.
This campaign to convince England that it faced utter destruction if something wasn't done to deter gun crime eventually convinced the people to go along with the enactment of gun control laws.
We all know the result of English gun control in the face of World War 2.
Britain's home guard was virtually defenseless, and guns had to actually be imported from America. (Guns donated by American citizens)

After WW2, Britain's people did not learn the lesson, they still were convinced that guns were "uncivilised", and promptly turned in their donated home guard weaponry which was in turn, promptly destroyed.

Britain has continued to incrementally reduce the rights of it's citizens to keep and bear arms, in direct contradiction with an abundance of English law that makes it plain no citizen is to be deprived of the means for self-defence.
Recent (last 20 years or so ) incidents concerning guns have been utilized to completely ban handguns to any but police and military.
Within the last 10 years, even rifles and shotguns have been restricted more and more, with national registration, weapon storage requirements, ( If You can't provide proper storage at home, it must be stored at a "gun club" or other approved facility. ) and restriction concerning use.

Britain's plan is to completely disarm the British people, and therefore, completely control the British people.

The "master plan" has backfired somewhat though.
Many illegal weapons have been smuggled into the country, a great majority being automatic weapons, (submachine guns) and handguns can be "rented" for the commission of a robbery or murder.

Remember the original reason trumped up by the Elite for their gun control agenda?
Massive criminal actions using guns. Armed criminal Violence.
Well, now that they have taken all the guns, only criminals have them.
You see, Criminals, by definition, DO NOT OBEY THE LAW.
In the meantime, there are people going to jail for defending their lives and property.

Yeah, it's about time for the British people to "Erupt In Fury", and re-assert their right to self defence.
Only it won't be Prince John this time around.
And somebody might get hurt.

I hope someone with the power to set things right gets a little sense.
I hope someone over there gets rid to some of the idiots running the country.
I hope there is still a nation called England at the end of the 21st century.

Looks like the Countryside Alliance's fight has struck a chord with Americans, too. I know I certainly sympathize. Apparently, a large enough number of Americans have wished to contribute donations that they've set up a means for Americans to do so. Any American who wishes to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Countryside Alliance should write their check (in US$) payable to:

The Countryside Alliance USA

then mail check to:

The Fundraising Department,

Countryside Alliance, PO Box 313

Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 2WA, England

They will then send you the receipt that's required and accepted by the IRS for you to make your tax deduction.

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