Trail hunting was introduced after the Hunting Act 2004 as an alternative to hounds chasing foxes and involves using an animal-scented rag. Labour first announced a planned ban in its 2024 election manifesto.
The government said there was strong support for a ban on trail hunting and that it posed risks to wildlife and pets.
Former Prime Minister Lord Cameron criticised both policies at a Countryside Alliance event in Westminster on Monday, calling the inheritance tax on farm assets “stupid” and the trail hunting ban “completely wrong”.
Also taking aim at the government’s call for evidence on game shooting in England, Lord Cameron warned further crackdowns risk eroding all facets of rural life including pubs and local services.
“Some of these things we should be angry about,” he added, a week after being spotted filming an episode of Prime series Clarkson’s Farm which has popularised various issues facing farmers.
The Countryside Alliance says its campaign is a non-political effort to encourage Burnham to work with rural people to address their concerns about policies on issues like farming, horseracing and greyhound racing.
Farmers have held tractor protests in parts of the country over the last year.
The government said: “This is the start of a new conversation with farmers and rural communities as we work together to build a stronger future for British farming and unlock growth in rural areas.”
