To say that hunting should be banned because an overwhelming number of people oppose it is bollocks, and it is bollocks precisely because Britain is a democratic country. Once, the overwhelming majority of people did not want homosexual people to allowed to make love, or people to be able to divorce no matter how much they hated one another, or people to be allowed to worship what they want, and wished (probaly still wish) to enforce the death penalty. In a true democracy the majority are not allowed to enforce their will on the lives of a minority. This indefensible but wild, atavistic and thrilling sport is in danger while the massive, revolting everyday exploitation of animals in battery conditions quietly continues. It is a sad day, but not hopeless because English country people seem to be showing the guts and resilience that still makes me glad to be English after 27 years in Australia.