A Tory council has given £50,000 to support despised hunters through the Covid crisis. MPs and campaigners have slammed Shropshire County Council’s “disgraceful” use of public funds.
While the businesses receiving funds are drag hunts, they are surrounded by controversy. The council has declined to disclose hunts involved – classed as businesses under the Government’s emergency rate relief scheme.
Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard said: “It is outrageous that public money is going to support fox hunting. Our rural communities have suffered a decade of austerity and now face more economic pain. “They need proper support, not propping up a barbaric practice that should be consigned to history books.” The Hunting Act of 2004 outlawed