PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has celebrated his success in forcing the government to introduce a "right to roam" by announcing that he intends to try and amend the Countryside Bill to introduce a ban on fox hunting.

Against strong Downing Street opposition, Mr Prentice finally persuaded the government to legislate to provide ramblers with a right to walk on private land unless it was of special scientific or natural interests.

The move has been included as part of a wide-ranging bill dealing with protection of the countryside.

But Mr Prentice revealed to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph today that he intended, if possible, to include it in a clause to prevent the hunting of foxes and other animals with hounds.

He said: "If I am put on the committee considering the bill in detail, I shall try and introduce an amendment to ban fox hunting. It is possible that the Chief Whip may stop me being on the committee, but I shall indicate on the second reading debate we should do this.

"This is a wide-ranging bill dealing with the countryside and an amendment on fox hunting would be entirely appropriate.

"There is overwhelming support in the Commons and in the country for such a move."

Mr Prentice said that Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary Jack Straw had kicked the whole question out into the long grass by appointing a committee to investigate the economic effects of such a prohibition. But this is not due to report until the summer, when MPs break for the holidays. With an election due in around a year, he believes the government will not be prepared to legislate on the issue. The MP said: "I believe if we do not act now, we will not legislate before the Prime Minister dissolves Parliament.

"If we go into the next election promising to ban fox hunting having done nothing during five years with a massive majority, I believe it will harm Labour's chances."

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