Alliance successfully dominates Boxing Day hunting media coverage

Tens of thousands of hunt supporters turned out to attend Boxing Day meets across the country last week, with huge crowds reported on what is expected to be the last Boxing Day before the general election. As ever, the Countryside Alliance’s PR & media team had one mission: to dominate the news media, promoting and defending the rural the way of life. Thankfully, with a well-oiled machine, we were able to reach millions of people through our coverage.

The Boxing Day festivities come at a time where the Labour Party has once again committed to re-opening the issue of hunting by bringing forward further legislation to “strengthen” the Hunting Act, should they form the next government.

In preparation for Boxing Day morning, the Countryside Alliance issued a widely-carried press release which warned Labour not to engage in a “toxic culture war” by legislating on hunting again, urging Keir Starmer to “right the wrongs of the past” and to end Labour’s “running attack on rural communities”. The release also launched our Action for Hunting initiative in partnership with the British Hound Sports Association, to create “an army” of supporters, “ready to spring-board into action” to oppose any new restrictions on hunting.  

This embargoed press release was covered by hundreds of newspapers, including both national and local titles and set the narrative for the day, overshadowing anti-hunting voices. Versions of that story can be found here, in The Sun, here in The Times and here in The Independent.

On Christmas Eve, Nick Herbert, our Chairman, wrote an opinion piece for The Telegraph, warning Labour to end its “obsession” with hunting. Tim Bonner wrote a separate piece for the Daily Express, urging Labour to face down “anti-hunting cranks” and to side with rural communities. Kate Hoey, our former Chairman, also wrote for The Spectator, urging Keir Starmer to end its “war on countryside” over hunting.

The Telegraph, separately, covered a different hunting story, placed by the Alliance, over the festive season. The piece looked at our efforts to combat those attempting to ban trail hunting and Boxing Day meets at local council level, as well as the embarrassingly failed attempt by an anti-hunting group to derail the popular meet in Lewes.

Polly Portwin, our Director of Hunting, was also interviewed by Sky News, which played on loop throughout the day on national television. The camera team met Polly at the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase Kennels, where they filmed hunt staff, hounds and horses preparing for the meet.

Tim Bonner also took part in a fiery debate against PETA, which was broadcast by GB News.

The Mail Online covered an appalling incident from a popular meet in Kent, which involved an out of control saboteur brandishing an anti-hunting placard in the middle of the road, causing a horse to rear up in front of the crowd- which included many children. Thankfully nobody was hurt, but the Alliance placed this story with The Mail and reiterated to readers about the danger posed to the public by saboteurs.

The Times also splashed a photograph of The Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent’s Boxing Day meet for their coverage on December 27^th 2023, whilst the Alliance had arranged for a Telegraph photographer to visit the Zetland Hunt kennels prior to Boxing Day and the Morpeth on New Year’s Day.

Speaking to the media after Boxing Day, the Countryside Alliance’s Director of Hunting, Polly Portwin said:

“Hunts have yet again been welcomed by a huge number of supporters who have gathered in all weathers in high streets, town squares, outside pubs and in fields on the edge of villages to welcome hounds on Boxing Day.”

“That any politician or activist could look at these scenes and want to see that way of life legislated against for political kicks, is deeply disturbing. Any new legislation would be a pointless waste of time and create division in the countryside, the likes of which have not been seen since the last Labour Government passed the Hunting Act in 2004.”

She added:

“Ultimately, the countryside doesn’t want to have a fight over hunting again, but it will not sit back and allow itself to be bullied or become victim to a toxic culture war.”