THE Countryside Alliance must be really desperate if it is willing to commission a poll which confirms the blindingly obvious: the vast majority of the public want the government to make further improvements in education and health care.

A more relevant question -- and one the Alliance dares not ask -- would be: "Do you believe the government should fulfil its promise to ban hunting with dogs?" The vast majority of people would, I predict, say yes.

Far from being 'ridiculous' as Simon Hart of the Countryside Alliance (Letters, April 26) claims, MPs know full well just how unpopular bloodsports are with their constituents. Even Arnold Greenhalgh, Master of the Holcombe Hunt, acknowledges this and stated, "Everyone seems opposed to foxhunting and we do live in a democracy."

To imply, as Mr Hart does, that MPs spend a significant amount of time on bloodsports at the expense of other issues is misleading and insulting to the hard work MPs do for their constituents. MPs from all political parties have voted overwhelmingly to end hunting with dogs so the issue need not consume a great deal of Parliamentary time. It could and should be dealt with in a day.

The public quite rightly expects Tony Blair to keep his promise to ban hunting with dogs and rid this country of this shameful so-called sport.

JEANNE YOUNG, North West League Against Cruel Sports, PO Box 359, Chorley.