Labour MPs threaten revolt over fox-hunting Bill

Tony Blair faces a revolt over fox hunting after Labour MPs condemned the Government's compromise as "botched" and warned they would amend the Bill to impose an outright ban.

Backbenchers and even some ministers could join attempts to impose an outright ban on fox hunting after Alun Michael, the Rural Affairs minister, faced angry criticism from backbenchers.

He outlined legislation to ban hare coursing and deer hunting, but allow some fox hunts to continue under a registration system. Hunts would have to apply to a registrar and prove their activity was justified on the basis of utility and was the least cruel option available for controlling foxes.

Hunting would not be justified for sport, but the hunt would have to prove it was necessary to prevent serious damage to livestock, crops, property or biological diversity.

The Government will allow MPs a free vote on the Bill before Christmas although Labour leaders are preparing to put pressure on ministers and backbenchers to support its proposals.

But Gerald Kaufman, a senior Labour MP, said: "This botched attempt to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds is unacceptable to many members of the House of Commons."

Tony Banks, a former sports minister who has led the Labour backbench campaigns for a ban, said Mr Michael was "going to be caught like piggy in the middle on this issue".

He said he would table a Commons motion urging MPs to vote instead for a total ban when the Bill is debated in Parliament.

"Alun Michael has done his best to square the circle and he is now in the middle. He's got a hell of a job to try and convince people to get it [the Bill] through unamended," he said.

Glenda Jackson, a former transport minister, demanded to know if Mr Michael would honour a pledge made in March to help to push a ban through Parliament if MPs voted for it.

But Kate Hoey, the former sports minister, said a complete ban was "unacceptable".

The MPs' criticism came as Downing Street appeared to back away from a pledge in March to use the coercive Parliament Act to force a ban.

Mr Michael said: "If you want a fight between the two Houses you focus on the Parliament Act. I don't want that."

A group of powerful ministers, including Margaret Beckett, John Prescott, Peter Hain, David Blunkett and even Mr Blair himself, voted for a ban on hunting when the Commons backed prohibition in March.

The strength of the vote, which was overwhelmingly supported by Labour MPs, suggests many could support a move to replace the Government's compromise Bill with an outright ban.

But the Prime Minister's official spokesman said that Mr Blair would back the compromise hunting Bill.

He said: "The Prime Minister believes that this is a very serious piece of work by Alun Michael ... to find a way forward based on factual evidence rather than just emotion, and based on the two principles of cruelty and utility ... He will fully support Alun Michael.

"It is a free vote, people can vote which ever way they wish, but equally if you are putting forward a government Bill, it would be rather strange if the Government didn't think it was a good idea."

The Countryside Alliance tentatively welcomed the Bill's proposals to introduce an independent tribunal and said it would consider the idea of registering hunts "constructively".

But David Lidington, the shadow Environment Secretary, attacked the Government's "absurd sense of priorities" in giving a hunt ban such a high parliamentary priority. He said: "It is surely crazy that the Government should place a statement on hunting with hounds ahead of a statement on the crisis in our public examination system.

"At a time when our public services are in crisis, you may hope your statement will distract for a while the attention of your backbench colleagues.

"But one thing is certain, this statement, this Bill, have nothing whatever to do with the genuine priorities of the British people."