Opinion

“Fox hunting: animal cruelty of the highest order” – Louis Brierley

0 361

Humanity Hallows Issue 6 Out Now
Pick up your copy on campus or read online


By Louis Brierley


Prime Minister Theresa May has recently announced that she intends to legalise fox-hunting in the UK. For those unaware of this ‘tradition’, I’m not referring to men in coonskin hats crouching in the bushes with rifles. If we were talking about just shooting the fox that raids your chicken coop, there would perhaps be no issue.

No. I’m talking about the blood-sport that is fox-hunting: the social gatherings of England’s elite, trotting through the countryside, enjoying the pleasant weather and participating in animal cruelty of the highest order. The hunters take their time, stretching out the hunt for as long as possible. The fox is pursued to exhaustion. At last, when the fox can go no further, the hunters set their terriers upon it – ripping it apart, piece by piece, while the hunters watch. First-time hunters smear the dead creature’s blood on their faces; children are indoctrinated into the ‘sport’ this way, implicated in the savage cruelty as a parent rubs still-warm blood around their eyes.

Fox-hunting is a regression into a cruel, colonial past. The fact that so many UK politicians want a return to this tradition is shocking to say the least. But Theresa May’s support of their savagery speaks of a deeper, fundamental problem in British democracy: first and foremost, politicians serve politicians, not the wider public. Prime Ministers must tread a line between what people actually need, and what politicians want. If they fail this balancing-act, they will meet with betrayal after betrayal even within their own party.

The British political system is back-stabbing, self-serving, and often completely out-of-touch with actual democracy.

The public does not want or need fox-hunting. The only thing it serves is politicians’ desire for a savage outlet. If fox-hunting is brought back, British politics will draw even further away from the needs of the people.


Do you support the fox hunting ban? Send your thoughts to HumanityHallows.Editor@gmail.com or join the debate on Twitter @humanityhallows

About the author / 

Humanity Hallows

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • New Year’s Eve in Manchester: Where is Hot to Go?

    Featured image: WendyWei.pexels With the most anticipated night of the year right around the corner, the big question is looming: where are you going to celebrate it? Whether you dread it or count down the days, are new to the Manchester nightlife scene or are a regular, we’ve got your New Year’s Eve plans sorted….

  • Fashion predictions for 2025

    By Georgia Robinson Featured image and gallery: Ruby Sharp Get one step ahead of your 2025 aesthetic and plan your outfits for the new year with this guide to all the trends we expect to see next year. Why not jazz up your wardrobe with trending accessories or browse Depop and Vinted for a pre-loved…

  • Warehouse Project Presents: The Prodigy @ Depot Mayfield review – a night of war cries and warrior dances from rave electronica pioneers

    Featured image and gallery: Kaitlyn Brockley The rumble of trains passing through Piccadilly station, the hollers of touts (“tickets, buy or sell?”) and security (“have your IDs ready”), and the excitable chatter of gig-goers all audibly backdrop the outskirts of Manchester’s Mayfield Depot this dark, damp evening.  Leaving the outside chill and travelling along the…

  • The QuietManDave Prize crowns 2024 winners

    Featured image and gallery: Leo Woollison Crook Angela Cheveau and Kate Carne were crowned winners of the 2024 QuietManDave Prize on Friday. The short-form writing prize is held biennially to honour the memory of the much-loved and well-known Manchester writer and critic Dave Murray, who passed away in 2019. The writers were each awarded £1000…