Ms. Ward:
I am writing you on the behalf of Walpole Island First Nation People of Ontario Reservation. We had the gift of viewing your film on the plight of the Red Foxes Of England. We, would like to extend our support. After our discussion of this film, we would like to say that this is not hunting. We, The First Nation People of Canada, are by tradition, hunters. We ache for the plight of Red Fox whose existence is compromised by those who cannot see that we and all creatures of earth are of the same root. A strong love and veneration of nature has led us and for you, an appreciation of the Red Foxes. These acts of violence and destruction do not fit into any of our own cultural contexts, and confronts our preconceptions about what these people call hunting. We are by tradition hunters and gatherers. The animals and nature provides us with the gift of reciprocal life. to take an animal in such a heinous way goes against being in truthful light, rather it strikes a reality, an almost deathly stillness of reality, for those who desire to turn away from the path of good life in this world. Sarah Pettygoose”

Whilst the Conservative Party remain committed to repealing the Hunting Act 2004, re-legalising hunting wild mammals with dogs and condoning – if not championing – cruelty as a ‘sport, the official response to questioning this intention is to say that there are more important issues to deal with. We agree. But all the same we believe that if the Tories had won an outright majority the free vote on repeal would have been one of the first things on their agenda.

With the LibDems support we now have the Conservative government that nobody voted for and, arguably, most people voted against. Initial polls are showing support for the austerity budget, increasing support for Tories and relegation of the LibDems to a poor 3rd place. YouGov’s post-budget poll for the Sun shows a broadly positive reception.

The polling seems to show that a majority think the budget is ‘fair’ but what it doesn’t ask is ‘do you care about the disadvantaged and vulnerable who will be the first to pay the price for Conservative Social Engineering?’ or ‘What do you think is a fair price to pay to keep the better off better off?’

We already know that the lives of defenceless wild animals are dispensable in the pursuit of an archaic ‘sport’, it really is not that big a step to say that the wellbeing of millions of UK citizens is dispensable in the pursuit of an archaic ideology.

George Osborne hints at further cuts in welfare budget – the Guardian
Cameron said he would like to see further welfare cuts. “We want to do everything that we can to keep police officers on the streets, to have money going into our schools and to keep up spending on our hospitals, and the only way that we are going to be able to do it is if we deal with the problems of excessive welfare spending.

The age of austerity is only just beginning – the Independent
Unprecedented sums must be found, and “very deep cuts” made to services hitherto taken for granted. All the indications are that universities will face some of the toughest discipline, raising the possibility of the merger or closure of some institutions.

Tories seek further cuts as public sector staff get pensions warning – the Independent
No decisions have been taken, but this could mean curbs on winter fuel allowances, free bus passes and television licences for better-off pensioners – even though the Tories promised not to cut them at last month’s election.

Budget is not progressive, declares IFS
Though the IFS did not say so in stark terms, a rise in homelessness seems an inevitable consequence of the Budget, one of the more painful and graphic ways that society will become less equal in coming years.

Thanks to all our members for your support. Let’s keep the pressure on.