Vote-OK
Comment by Midge Todhunter – Editor of TMV
The Master’s Voice has pledged full support for Vote-OK and we urge our readers and others to take a serious look at what Vote-OK has to offer.
"the future for hunting is at a critical juncture"
We urge you strongly to get involved with Vote-OK: full details are explained below. There is much to be done, but these guys have the strategies and leadership to guide us through it. The future for hunting is at a critical juncture: all things are possible and the next Election will be upon us soon.
Charles Mann, Vote-OK: “Make no mistake, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to get this right.”
Update on the Road to Repeal
By Charles Mann, National Director, Vote-OK
Vote-OK was formed in 2005 as a direct consequence of the ban on hunting and the comments by the then Rural Affairs Minister, Alun Michael
"...if people wish to continue their opposition to legislation, they have the option of the ballot box through which to express their views." 15/09/2004
Using our network of volunteer regional representatives, we encourage people to get involved in local politics and help candidates who support the repeal of the Hunting Act.
At the last General Election, over 7,000 Vote-OK volunteers helped to:
- deliver 3.4 million leaflets
- hand address 2.1 million envelopes
- erect 55,000 posters
…and in doing so we helped to:
- oust 29 anti-hunting MPs
- reduce the majority of a further 21 to less than 3%
- increase the majorities of 9 pro-hunting MPs
This time we plan to do even better. This time we have a real chance of helping to democratically change the Government of this country and helping to elect an administration that is totally committed to rural affairs and sympathetic to the hopes and aspirations of the countryside.
Our Aim
Our aim from now until the next election is to organise a minimum of 14,000 volunteers to campaign locally for candidates who believe in the principles of freedom and liberty and who support the repeal of the Hunting Act.
Why Repeal?
The Hunting Act isn’t working. It’s an unenforceable law that has achieved none of the objectives it set out to achieve. It is bad for animal welfare, bad for rural communities and fails every test that reasonable law should pass.
We must repeal this bad law for the benefit of future generations, the current state of affairs simply isn’t sustainable.
If the Act stays in place, future hostile Governments will work to tighten the law and make the situation worse – take the recent Early Day Motion (EDM), tabled by John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington. This EDM has been supported by 53 MPs and is just the latest example of anti-hunting MPs desire to tighten the law even further.
The Reality of Repeal
We now have a firm commitment to repeal from the Conservative leader David Cameron – a Government Bill in Government time.
“We’d give MPs a free vote on overturning the hunting ban and if the vote went through there’d be a Government Bill to get rid of it. I mean, my own view is that the ban isn’t working. It’s a farce really.”
David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition, 1st May 2007
Following repeal, hunting will be self regulated – the CHA within the Repeal Committee is already drawing up the self regulation proposals to plan ahead for the future.
Our role is to help deliver the sympathetic Government; the Countryside Alliance’s role is to handle the nuts and bolts of the Repeal Process.
Action in 2008
2008 has been a busy year for Vote-OK.
In May, twelve hunts provided a huge amount of volunteer time in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election to help Edward Timpson, Conservative, win the seat with a staggering 17% swing in votes.
Local hunt volunteers on the campaign trial in Crewe and Nantwich earlier this year, pictured with VOK Regional Director Peter Jones from the Royal Rock Beagles and Edward Timpson MP
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, has also acknowledged the help received from Vote-OK volunteers in his and other London councillors’ campaigns earlier this year.
As well as the above, many supporters assisted the two successful and supportive candidates in both Henley and Haltemprice & Howden by elections. Since being elected John Howell MP has visited the Vale of Aylesbury with Garth & South Berks kennels to show his support and appreciation.
Recruitment of volunteer regional directors and hunt campaigners has been the main focus of 2008 and we now have a nationwide network of 20 regional directors and a Vote-OK campaigner in every hunt throughout the country. To find out details of your campaigner please ask your hunt secretary.
The hunt campaigner’s main role, supported by the Regional Director, is to recruit, organise and set up teams of volunteers to help their local candidate and ensure that sufficient help is delivered in the right place at the right time. All hunts have been allocated target constituencies to ensure maximum efficiency and impact. Again, if you do not know where your hunt is helping, please do ask.
We are now focusing on identifying Vote-OK campaigners within coursing, lurcher and terrier clubs to spread the net, broaden the reach and impact even further.
There is much to be done. Vote-OK has a target upwards of 140 constituencies this year with the aim of doubling our effort and getting 14,000 people out on the streets and engaging in the democratic process. Hunts and clubs across the country have been busy embedding the Vote-OK operation into these target constituencies and forging close links with supportive pro-repeal candidates – indeed, many have already been out leafleting and canvassing.
Campaign 2009
So where do we go from here?
At most, we are less than 18 months away from a General Election. The local elections in June 2009 are of huge significance and could impact on the result and timing of the General Election. They will also provide an excellent dry run for our General Election efforts so we will be encouraging as many people as possible to engage and get involved.
What you can do to help
You can help along the road to repeal by getting involved with Vote-OK in the following ways:
- Ask for a free copy of the new Vote-OK DVD to showcase at a hunt or club event and help raise awareness. The DVD will be launched in January 09 – see next issue for further details.
- Contact your local Vote-OK representative NOW to offer your help and support – even if you only feel able to give a few hours, your help will be invaluable. You could help with leafleting, stuffing envelopes, answering phones, door to door canvassing, driving, telling etc.
- Ensure your hunt communications are effective and efficient – telephone trees and email lists must be ready to be fired into action as soon as a General Election is called.
- Invite your local supportive candidate, whether Westminster or local, to hunt and club events to help raise awareness and spread the message of how important it is to help at a local level.
- Finally, when you are asked to turn out and help your pro-repeal candidate anytime between now and the next General Election, please make sure that you DO help. We’ll do all the organising, all you need to do is turn up. It is the single most important thing that anyone can do to help secure repeal; you really can make a difference
Once in a lifetime opportunity
As you can see, whatever your age and however busy your lifestyle, there is a practical form of local campaigning that you can get involved in.
We need to be ready for the next General Election and next year’s local elections and we need people linked up to their local Vote-OK networks NOW so that when the flag is raised, we’re ready to go.
Make no mistake, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to get this right. We have a firm commitment to Repeal and the real chance of helping to elect a Government that is totally sympathetic to the views of the countryside. If we don’t take this opportunity, future hostile Government’s will work to tighten the law and make the situation worse.
We must repeal this bad law for the benefit of future generations and I look forward to seeing you out on the streets, shoving leaflets through doors, answering phones and everything else that comes with local electioneering.
We have a commitment to repeal from a future Conservative Government, what we need now is commitment from YOU.
For further information please visit www.vote-ok.co.uk