Prime Minister Gordon Brown publicly backs Brian May's Save Me Campaign!
Prime Minster Gordon Brown today endorsed Brian May's SAVE ME campaign which May launched last month to rally widespread public support against the possible return of legalised blood sports to the British Countryside.
A survey carried out by Ipsos MORI in September 2009 showed that an overwhelming 75% of the British public do not want fox-hunting to be made legal again. But the Conservative party is promising that if the Tories are elected they will introduce a bill in Government time to attempt to repeal the Hunting Act, 2004, which made it illegal to hunt wild animals using dogs.
Showing his support for May's Save-Me campaign, the Prime Minister today in a statement from Downing Street said:
"I want to put on record my admiration for Brian May's campaign to keep hunting with dogs illegal. I'm happy to add my voice to the tens of thousands of others who have already backed his campaign. I also want to put on record my total commitment, that under a Labour government this ban on cruelty will be maintained. Fox hunting should stay in the history books where it belongs."
May has conducted an active campaign both online and in person, and the SAVE ME campaign already has the support of all Green Party candidates. Visiting key constituencies in the UK May took his message to North Somerset ten days ago when he publicly showed support for Labour Candidate Dan Norris, and was last week in Stroud supporting Hilary Benn who has continued to back the ban introduced by the Labour Party under the Hunting Act, 2004, to protect Britain's wildlife.
Today, May will visit be in Carmarthen, Pembrokeshire meeting with residents to solidify local support for his campaign. Ahead of the visit May said: "Our aim is to give animals a voice. We sense that many people are unconvinced by the current TV debates between parties, which seem to have descended to the level of a popularity show, and might simply not bother to vote. We hope this initiative will inspire everyone to come out and vote this time - perhaps for the first time - for decent treatment for animals.
May's SAVE ME campaign is asking members of the public to support the cause of animals by signing up at www.save-me.org.uk and aims eventually to recruit a million supporters of animal rights. Supporters have been asking their local candidates to make a clear commitment, for or against fox-hunting before polling day - and to declare which way they will vote if there is a Commons vote to repeal the Hunting Act. The results appear in a chart on the site, to help voters make their choice on Polling day.
May continues: "We are supporting candidates from all parties who commit to keeping the law against hunting in place. It's a very serious issue, which should never have reared its head again. I'm shocked to see that so many voters still don't realise that the Conservative party stands for Blood-Sports. If Cameron gets his way, the countryside will be awash with blood."
Many other well-known names have already committed to the Save-Me campaign, among them rock legends Francis Rossi, Joe Elliott, Tony Iommi and Taylor Hawkins and comics Al Murray and Peter Kay, taking part with May in a campaign video "B******s To The Economy" which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/user/BrianMayCom
