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First
Minister’s shame over anti-hunting advisor
LAST
MONTH the Scottish Parliament’s First Minister, Jack McConnell,
provoked a storm of controversy by appointing a committed anti-hunting
campaigner as a policy advisor to the Scottish Executive.
McConnell ‘s decision to appoint Peter Hastie, from the
Scottish Campaign Against Hunting with Dogs as a policy adviser
to the Scottish Executive, drew angry comments from Allan Murray,
director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance. Mr Murray said:
“This is a breathtaking and provocative appointment by
the First Minister.
“Mr McConnell and his Ministers have refused outright to
meet representatives of countryside organisations to discuss
the real problems facing rural Scotland. That decision was bad
enough but now this is another slap in the face for rural people.
“The Scottish Executive has repeatedly said it is neutral
on the anti-hunting Bill currently going through the Scottish
parliament. This appointment exposes that stance as a complete
sham. It is grossly insensitive and provocative when we are
only a few weeks away from a final vote on the Protection of
Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill which will have a profound impact
on rural Scotland.
“Mr Hastie has been peddling hysterical propaganda about
the hunting issue. Time and again he has made wild accusations
about hunting which have no basis in truth. He is a zealot whose
judgment cannot be trusted.”
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