Letter: Foxes and lobsters

Sir: I am sure the overwhelming majority of your readers, rural as well as urban, will hope that Mr Blair keeps his promise to legislate to end the "sport" of hunting with dogs, and not allow the likes of Jack Straw to deflect him from this commitment ("Blair defiant on hunting after poll", 24 July)

Sometimes foxes have to be controlled even though the damage they do is often exaggerated. However, chasing a terrified animal to exhaustion and than gaining pleasure while it is torn to pieces is not only quite immoral but also suggests a degree of mental inadequacy on the part of those who encourage it.

For Mr Hague to describe Mr Blair's policy as "cynical and opportunistic" shows just how out of touch he is. It would seem many voters at Eddisbury were disturbed at the almost fanatical support given by the Tory candidate to blood sports in the by-election.

Quite a number of people who have never voted Labour were for this reason glad that the winning candidate had such a derisory majority in what used to be a safe Conservative seat. The Conservatives should stop identifying themselves with such narrow sectional interests.

JOHN WAINWRIGHT

Potters Bar, Hertfordshire