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Brian May accused of being minister's 'sugar daddy' in foxhunting row Brian May accused of being minister's 'sugar daddy' in foxhunting row
(34 minutes later)
A row has erupted between Tracey Crouch, the sports minister, and the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, after he described the anti-foxhunting campaigner Brian May as her “sugar daddy”.A row has erupted between Tracey Crouch, the sports minister, and the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, after he described the anti-foxhunting campaigner Brian May as her “sugar daddy”.
Tracey Crouch, a Conservative who is a strong opponent of foxhunting, accused Tim Bonner of “trolling” after he sent her a number of tweets about the fact she took £5,000 from May as a registered donation. Crouch, a Conservative who is a strong opponent of foxhunting, accused Tim Bonner of “trolling”, after he sent her a number of tweets about the fact she took £5,000 from May as a registered donation.
May, a founding member of the rock band Queen, is a vocal critic of the government over animal rights, the badger cull, airstrikes on Syria and other issues.May, a founding member of the rock band Queen, is a vocal critic of the government over animal rights, the badger cull, airstrikes on Syria and other issues.
In a string of messages, Bonner said he defied anyone to explain how Crouch could take election cash off May, given the musician’s negative tweets about members of the cabinet.In a string of messages, Bonner said he defied anyone to explain how Crouch could take election cash off May, given the musician’s negative tweets about members of the cabinet.
After May suggested Liz Truss, the environment secretary, was a heartless moneymaker, Bonner tweeted at Crouch late on Tuesday night: “Solidarity for the sisterhood eh @tracey_crouch Are there any of your colleagues who your sugar daddy hasn’t abused?” After May tweeted that Liz Truss, the environment secretary, was a “heartless moneymaker”, Bonner tweeted at Crouch late on Tuesday night: “Solidarity for the sisterhood eh @tracey_crouch Are there any of your colleagues who your sugar daddy hasn’t abused?”
Tensions between the pair have erupted just days before the annual Boxing Day hunts at which around 250,000 riders and supporters are expected to gather in a symbol of protest against the Hunting Act which came into force in 2005. Tensions Crouch and Bonner erupted just days before the annual Boxing Day hunts, at which around 250,000 riders and supporters are expected to gather in a symbol of protest against the Hunting Act, which came into force in 2005.
Asked about their spat, Crouch said: “I think his behaviour is most unbecoming of the chief executive of an organisation I agree with a lot on, except foxhunting... I think he forgets we live in a free country and foxhunting is a free-vote issue regardless of position in party.” Asked about their spat, Crouch said: “I think his behaviour is most unbecoming of the chief executive of an organisation I agree with a lot on, except foxhunting. I think he forgets we live in a free country and foxhunting is a free-vote issue regardless of position in party.”
Bonner said he was not suggesting Crouch should resign, and defended his tweets about the donation from May. Bonner said he was not suggesting Crouch should resign and defended his tweets about the donation from May.
“It’s how you justify taking money from someone who is so clearly opposed to everything your government is doing,” he said. “It’s not about her views, it’s about this strange relationship. Brian May seems to have a rockstar quality and the selfie-culture and all the rest of it, I just find very odd. He’s not shy about his views on wider political issues and is very keen to promote them.“It’s how you justify taking money from someone who is so clearly opposed to everything your government is doing,” he said. “It’s not about her views, it’s about this strange relationship. Brian May seems to have a rockstar quality and the selfie-culture and all the rest of it, I just find very odd. He’s not shy about his views on wider political issues and is very keen to promote them.
“As I understand it a sugar daddy is someone who pays for attention... It’s a probably provocative description of May but there’s a little bit of that’s how it works.” “As I understand it a sugar daddy is someone who pays for attention. It’s a probably provocative description of May but there’s a little bit of that’s how it works.”
The government had promised in its election manifesto to hold a free vote on relaxing the ban but this was thwarted when it did not have enough of a majority in the House of Commons. The SNP decided it would vote against the measure, in defiance of convention that it does not participate in business that does not relate to Scotland.The government had promised in its election manifesto to hold a free vote on relaxing the ban but this was thwarted when it did not have enough of a majority in the House of Commons. The SNP decided it would vote against the measure, in defiance of convention that it does not participate in business that does not relate to Scotland.
Sources in the Tory anti-hunting camp say there are around 45 Conservative MPs who would not support any attempt to loosen the ban.Sources in the Tory anti-hunting camp say there are around 45 Conservative MPs who would not support any attempt to loosen the ban.
Crouch is the most senior anti-foxhunting MP in the government but there are understood to be around 10 other Tories on the government payroll who do not back a relaxation of the ban.Crouch is the most senior anti-foxhunting MP in the government but there are understood to be around 10 other Tories on the government payroll who do not back a relaxation of the ban.