Fw: Countryside Alliance grass e-route - Statement from Richard Burge - 04.12.00

[Mark Brown]

> > Some of you may have seen the front page of the Guardian
> today.........this
> > is a statement from CA website.
> >
> >    ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Countryside Alliance grass e - route
> > <news at countryside-alliance.org>
> > > > To: Countryside Alliance grass e - route
> <news at countryside-alliance.org>
> > > > Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 10:48 AM
> > > > Subject: Countryside Alliance grass e-route - Statement from Richard
> > > Burge -
> > > > 04.12.00
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > "A number of national newspapers have refered to a
> > > > > meeting the Alliance held in the House of Commons
> > > > > last week with some Labour MPs.  The purpose of the
> > > > > meeting was to discuss the rural crisis, and the
> > > > > Government's own rural white paper published -
> > > > > by fortunate co-incidence - that day.  Notes were taken
> > > > > of the meeting for the sponsoring MP. This meeting was
> > > > > not secret, and was not confidential - the only private
> > > > > thing about it was that we did not invite the press, and we
> > > > > did not issue a press release.
> > > > >
> > > > > The articles have made the bizarre suggestion that the
> > > > > Alliance is prepared to "give up" on hunting in return for
> > > > > some sort of deal on other rural issues.  This is untrue.
> > > > > Neither I the Board or the staff would be prepared to
> > > > > work for an organisation that behaved in such a way.
> > > > > You do not do deals on the liberty of people.
> > > > >
> > > > > Let me summarise what I said on national radio this morning.
> > > > > The Burns Inquiry has shown that hunting is not inhererntly
> > > > > cruel and properly managed is as humane as the other
> > > > > legimate ways of managing the quarry species.  Public
> > > > > percpetion is changing because they realise that hunting is
> > > > > carried out by hundreds of thousands of ordinary,  decent,
> > > > > working people across the countryside who are good and
> > > > > undertake their hunting responsibly.  Finally, people are
> > > > > getting worried  about a Parliament where some of its
> > > > > members see the law as a tool to  impose their own
> > > > > prejudice and bigotry.  The purpose of  parliament is to
> > > > > defend minorities, their liberties and their way of life.
> > > > > The Alliance's position is clear and unequivocal.
> > > > >
> > > > > This will not be the last time that we get such spin.
> > > > > It  will get more frequent over the coming months -
> > > > > and it will get even dirtier.  The only way to confront lies
> > > > > and dis-information is with truth and clarity"
> > > > >
> > > > > Richard Burge
> > > > >
> > > > > Chief Executive, The Countryside Alliance
> > > > >
> > > > > pqr
> > > > >