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| Government shelves foxhunting vote after SNP opposition | Government shelves foxhunting vote after SNP opposition |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government has withdrawn its attempt to relax the UK’s foxhunting ban after the Scottish National party said it would vote against the change. | The government has withdrawn its attempt to relax the UK’s foxhunting ban after the Scottish National party said it would vote against the change. |
| Related: Government shelves foxhunting vote - Politics live | Related: Government shelves foxhunting vote - Politics live |
| Downing Street is expected to revisit the issue in autumn after the proposed introduction of English votes for English laws (Evel) in parliament. This would make clear whether a majority of non-Scottish MPs were in favour of weakening the foxhunting ban. | Downing Street is expected to revisit the issue in autumn after the proposed introduction of English votes for English laws (Evel) in parliament. This would make clear whether a majority of non-Scottish MPs were in favour of weakening the foxhunting ban. |
| The vote was meant to be held on Wednesday but the SNP’s decision to break with tradition by voting on an English-only matter meant No 10 was no longer confident it would win. | The vote was meant to be held on Wednesday but the SNP’s decision to break with tradition by voting on an English-only matter meant No 10 was no longer confident it would win. |
| Labour and dozens of Tory MPs were also opposed to the change, which would have allowed hunters to flush out foxes using a pack of dogs for the purpose of pest control. This is currently allowed in Scotland, but there is a limit of two dogs in England and Wales. | |
| David Cameron said the SNP’s stance was “entirely opportunistic”. | David Cameron said the SNP’s stance was “entirely opportunistic”. |
| “The position of the SNP has up to now always been clear, which is that they do not vote on matters that are purely of interest to England, or England and Wales,” the prime minister said. | |
| His official spokeswoman made clear, however, that the Evel proposals would not have made a difference to the result because the SNP would still be able to vote down foxhunting under that system. | His official spokeswoman made clear, however, that the Evel proposals would not have made a difference to the result because the SNP would still be able to vote down foxhunting under that system. |
| She said: “It’s now for Nicola Sturgeon to explain why they are going against their longstanding principle that she set out very clearly in February of this year of not voting on matters that purely affect England and why they are going against the principle of something that applies to Scotland will not apply to England and Wales.” | She said: “It’s now for Nicola Sturgeon to explain why they are going against their longstanding principle that she set out very clearly in February of this year of not voting on matters that purely affect England and why they are going against the principle of something that applies to Scotland will not apply to England and Wales.” |
| The government would set out its next steps in due course, but the prime minister was still committed to his manifesto pledge about giving MPs a free vote on relaxing the foxhunting law, she said. | The government would set out its next steps in due course, but the prime minister was still committed to his manifesto pledge about giving MPs a free vote on relaxing the foxhunting law, she said. |
| Maria Eagle, the shadow environment secretary, said Cameron was “running scared because he knew he was going to lose the vote on foxhunting”. | Maria Eagle, the shadow environment secretary, said Cameron was “running scared because he knew he was going to lose the vote on foxhunting”. |
| “The government’s proposed changes to the hunting act have become a shambles,” she said. “This has nothing to do with pest control – it is a shabby attempt to repeal a successful piece of animal welfare legislation by the back door.” | “The government’s proposed changes to the hunting act have become a shambles,” she said. “This has nothing to do with pest control – it is a shabby attempt to repeal a successful piece of animal welfare legislation by the back door.” |
| Responding to news that the vote had been delayed, the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, told the BBC that Cameron “can’t carry his own parliamentary group”. Earlier, she made clear the SNP would vote against the change not just because of concerns about foxhunting, but in retaliation for the lack of respect the prime minister had shown her party on the issues of devolution and Evel. | Responding to news that the vote had been delayed, the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, told the BBC that Cameron “can’t carry his own parliamentary group”. Earlier, she made clear the SNP would vote against the change not just because of concerns about foxhunting, but in retaliation for the lack of respect the prime minister had shown her party on the issues of devolution and Evel. |
| She told Radio 4’s Today programme: “Since the election, David Cameron’s government has shown very little respect to the mandate that Scottish MPs have. On the Scotland bill, reasonable amendments backed by the overwhelming majority of Scottish MPs have been voted down. The English votes for English laws proposals brought forward go beyond any reasonable proposition and look to make Scottish MPs effectively second-class citizens in the House of Commons. | She told Radio 4’s Today programme: “Since the election, David Cameron’s government has shown very little respect to the mandate that Scottish MPs have. On the Scotland bill, reasonable amendments backed by the overwhelming majority of Scottish MPs have been voted down. The English votes for English laws proposals brought forward go beyond any reasonable proposition and look to make Scottish MPs effectively second-class citizens in the House of Commons. |
| “So, I think if there’s an opportunity – as there appears to be here – and on an issue where David Cameron appears to be out of touch with majority English opinion as well, to actually remind the government how slender their majority is.” | “So, I think if there’s an opportunity – as there appears to be here – and on an issue where David Cameron appears to be out of touch with majority English opinion as well, to actually remind the government how slender their majority is.” |
| Speaking next to an anti-foxhunting demonstration outside the House of Commons, Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, said his party had “tilted the balance in the House of Commons”. He said it was a sign of “the way this government has been treating Scotland” and called it a “victory for the campaigners and common sense”. | Speaking next to an anti-foxhunting demonstration outside the House of Commons, Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, said his party had “tilted the balance in the House of Commons”. He said it was a sign of “the way this government has been treating Scotland” and called it a “victory for the campaigners and common sense”. |
| The climbdown is a major humiliation for Cameron, given that he has also had to delay votes on Evel and the repealing of the Human Rights Act over fears he does not have enough Commons support. If the SNP chooses to repeat its decision to abandon the tradition of not voting on English matters, the prime minister, with a majority of just 12, is going to find it difficult to pass anything except the most uncontroversial legislation. | |
| The SNP’s move could also put the union under renewed pressure at a time when the government is trying to pass the divisive Evel proposals. They are strongly opposed by the SNP, but some backbench Tories would rather have an even tougher system, where Scottish MPs are entirely excluded from voting on English laws. | The SNP’s move could also put the union under renewed pressure at a time when the government is trying to pass the divisive Evel proposals. They are strongly opposed by the SNP, but some backbench Tories would rather have an even tougher system, where Scottish MPs are entirely excluded from voting on English laws. |
| On Monday night, the Conservatives suggested the SNP’s move made them more determined than ever to bring in the Evel proposals. | On Monday night, the Conservatives suggested the SNP’s move made them more determined than ever to bring in the Evel proposals. |
| A party source said of the foxhunting proposal: “This is a technical change to bring the law in England and Wales more closely into line with Scotland. Hunting is a devolved issue. The SNP’s decision to vote on a draft law that does not affect Scotland at all shows exactly why Conservatives committed in our manifesto to ensure laws that only affect England can only be passed with the consent of English MPs.” | A party source said of the foxhunting proposal: “This is a technical change to bring the law in England and Wales more closely into line with Scotland. Hunting is a devolved issue. The SNP’s decision to vote on a draft law that does not affect Scotland at all shows exactly why Conservatives committed in our manifesto to ensure laws that only affect England can only be passed with the consent of English MPs.” |
| However, the current set of proposals would not have stopped the SNP voting down the relaxation of the foxhunting ban because these still require a vote of the whole house for legislation to pass, in addition to a vote by English and Welsh MPs only. | However, the current set of proposals would not have stopped the SNP voting down the relaxation of the foxhunting ban because these still require a vote of the whole house for legislation to pass, in addition to a vote by English and Welsh MPs only. |
| The SNP said it was now looking at toughening up Scotland’s foxhunting rules to bring it into line with England and Wales. The Scottish parliament has launched its own investigation into the effectiveness of its legislation after surveillance of five of Scotland’s 10 hunts suggested that it was routinely being ignored, with a complete absence of shotguns. Covert footage taken by the League Against Cruel Sports over a three-month period apparently showed no “flushing to guns”. | The SNP said it was now looking at toughening up Scotland’s foxhunting rules to bring it into line with England and Wales. The Scottish parliament has launched its own investigation into the effectiveness of its legislation after surveillance of five of Scotland’s 10 hunts suggested that it was routinely being ignored, with a complete absence of shotguns. Covert footage taken by the League Against Cruel Sports over a three-month period apparently showed no “flushing to guns”. |
| The Holyrood environment minister, Aileen McLeod, confirmed in a letter to the league that MSPs intended to scrutinise the ban, writing that she would be “very concerned” if the law was being flouted and that she was referring her concerns to Police Scotland. |