Anti-hunt activists "shocked and horrified" by MP's Boxing Day comments

The campaign follows protests at the Boxing Day meet on December 26 as the Tiverton Staghounds paraded through the town centre

Anti-hunting Labour councillors in Tiverton are urging people to make their feelings known to Neil Parish.

The campaign follows protests at the Boxing Day meet on December 26 as the Tiverton Staghounds paraded through the town centre.

Labour Tiverton Town councillor Andy Perris said in a letter to Mr Parish: "As a constituent in Tiverton and Honiton I was shocked and horrified by the comments you made at the Boxing Day Hunt meet in Tiverton - as widely reported on Devon Live - suggesting you would try to get the Hunting Act amended or even repealed.

"This is completely against what most members of the public want. Polling by YouGov in November 2019 found that 79 per cent of people believed the Hunting Act should be amended to ensure foxes are not killed by hunts claiming to be following trails - in other words, hunting laws should be tightened up not relaxed.

"I was so disgusted by your comments that I decided to start a petition 'Tell Neil Parish his constituents don't want fox hunting legalised.'

"In just four weeks this has been signed by nearly 9000. I am therefore writing to you to ask you to re-think your position on trying to amend or repeal hunting law. I would urge you to read the comments made on the petition which make it clear that a very large number of your constituents do not believe hunting has any part to play in modern, civilised society."

Speaking on Boxing Day, Mr Parish said: "It's great to see you all, and we will take stock when we get back to Parliament. We'll take the numbers and see what to do about hunting. We will then talk to the hunting fraternity to work out precisely what you might like to have done either repealing the Hunting Act altogether or changing it."

Campaigner Sarah Perris, who launched the change.org campaign said he was "totally out of touch with how people feel about fox hunting."

She said: "According to a former senior police officer and former head of the national wildlife crime unit, foxhunting is continuing with impunity across the UK, with police and courts failing to hold those organising and taking part in them accountable.

"In November, anti-hunting campaigners collected 126 witness reports of foxhunting with hounds, including six confirmed and two suspected killings of foxes.

"Please sign this petition to show Neil Parish his constituents don't share his outdated views on hunting."