Press Release - Neil Duncan Jordan MP Visits the Grafton Hunt
On Saturday 29th November, Neil Duncan-Jordan MP joined members of the North London Hunt Saboteurs as they monitored the Grafton Hunt in Northamptonshire, ensuring that no foxes were harmed.
The visit followed October’s news that the Grafton’s hunt master was found not guilty of hunting offences after a fox was allegedly killed on school grounds - an outcome that was met with scepticism from many local residents. In response, The New Hunting Ban campaign group facilitated Duncan-Jordan’s attendance so he could observe for himself the activities of this so-called ‘trail’ hunt.
While the British Hound Sports Association has previously invited politicians to carefully stage-managed “National Trail Hunting Days”, this visit was made unannounced to give a true impression of hunting behaviour. Duncan-Jordan, a leading parliamentary voice on animal welfare, said: “My constituents care deeply about the suffering of animals, and so do I. These fact-finding missions help me to be informed when I speak to them.”
Early in the day, hunt saboteurs arrived at the Grafton’s meet, where a rider wearing a tabard saying “Trail Layer” was seen heading out ahead of the hunt. However, questions arose over the role she was performing. As Duncan-Jordan noted: “We saw her [the trail layer] once or twice at the start of the day, but her movements did not appear to tally with the movements of the hounds. They were miles away from each other.”
The North London Hunt Saboteurs demonstrated to the MP how they use a drone to monitor a hunt’s movements - technology that has transformed the gathering of evidence relating to suspected wrongdoing. In November, drone footage captured by the Lake District Hunt Saboteurs during a hunt involving the Coniston Foxhounds and Teme Valley Hunt in Ambleside resulted in 16 arrests after a fox was filmed being dug from a badger sett and thrown to hounds.
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP watches a live feed as the NLHS drone, operated by Philip Walters (left), lead Hunt Saboteur, monitors the Grafton Hunt from above.
Drone observation of the Grafton showed behaviour that appeared to observers to resemble ‘drawing’ - sending hounds into cover with the intention of finding foxes.
Across the day, loose hounds disrupted traffic, horses blocked roads, and hunt monitors were subjected to verbal harassment. Duncan-Jordan expressed concern at what he witnessed: “The behaviour of the hunt is troubling, but some of the conduct of the supporters is also worrying. Throughout the day there were individuals following us, filming and taking pictures whilst refusing to speak or engage with me. I understand why local residents feel intimidated. I’m not sure you would behave like that unless you had something to hide.
At the close of the meet the MP commented: The hunt was total chaos – there were hounds all over the road, cars blocked. It didn’t look organised at all.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP meets foxhounds of the Grafton Hunt as the field rides past on an open, uncontrolled road.
While the North London Hunt Saboteurs ensured that no foxes were killed on this occasion, their lead saboteur, Philip Walters, stressed that volunteer intervention alone cannot end the problem:
“We can’t be everywhere at once, and many hunts operate with no scrutiny at all. The only lasting solution to hunting with dogs is political. We’re working with The New Hunting Ban to help ensure the next law is watertight and enforceable. While we will always stand between a hunt and its prey, no good law should have to rely on unpaid volunteers risking their safety to prevent crime.”
Speaking of the need for a New Hunting Ban, Neil Duncan-Jordan MP said:
“I was proud to stand on a manifesto commitment to strengthen the Hunting Act –I’ve got two key points I will keep making to Ministers.
First, we need a new ban urgently. Every moment of delay means more chaos, more wildlife crime, and more animals killed for sport. We’ve got to act.
Second, we must learn the lessons of the first Hunting Act. No loopholes this time – we need to listen to the experts and create a watertight, enforceable law so we finally consign hunting with hounds to the history books.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP (left) and staff member (centre), walk with Rhys Giles (right), Director of The New Hunting Ban, upon the conclusion of the visit to the Grafton Hunt.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan is the Labour MP for Poole and a leading parliamentary voice on animal welfare. Since his election in 2024, he has hosted cross-party Hunting Briefings and worked closely with experts and campaigners, pushing for tougher legislation to protect wildlife.
The New Hunting Ban is a campaign group working to secure a watertight, enforceable end to hunting with dogs.
Engaging with and learning from experts, activists and politicians, the campaign brings together frontline evidence and parliamentary strategy to finally deliver on the promises of the 2004 Hunting Act and end the killing of wildlife under the guise of ‘trail hunting’.
The New Hunting Ban has:
Conducted an open public consultation on strengthening anti-hunting legislation, with over 2000 submissions;
Run a series of cross-party Hunting Briefings in Parliament, featuring experts from the RSPCA, the League Against Cruel Sports, senior police officers, legal experts and activists;
Scheduled the publication of its recommendations for legal change – due to take place on 15th December in Westminster.
For more information, visit www.thenewhuntingban.com
Press contacts:
neil.duncanjordan.mp@parliament.uk
info@thenewhuntingban.com