Pro-foxhunt lobby launches court battle, plans civil disobedience

THE long battle over fox hunting moved to the law courts yesterday as pro-hunt campaigners launched a legal challenge to overthrow the British Parliament’s ban on their sport.

Lawyers backed by the Countryside Alliance lodged papers at the High Court in London seeking a judicial review of the Hunting Act, which was finally passed by parliament on Thursday amid scenes of confusion and bitter recrimination.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who said he had hoped a compromise solution could be found, admitted the ban would be an issue at the general election, thought to be within the next six months.