MPs are fond of crowing about their “mandate” as elected representatives of the country. Apparently they are here to serve, to execute the public’s will. That mandate has been in danger of being
represented as some kind of “get out of jail free” card to protect some MPs as they build (and switch) houses around the monopoly board, collecting “two hundred pounds” as they are chauffeured backwards and forwards past GO and driving the country round the U-bend.

Their greatest trick of all is to persuade the country at large that there is really no point in making a fuss, that we can’t do anything about it, certainly any better, and it probably doesn’t matter much anyway. The governance of Great Britain does matter and it is high time that politicians were shown that the general public has a vote – and a voice – even in the countryside.

The stench emanating from Westminster may well be reminiscent of the tragic odour of burning stock that punished the countryside during foot and mouth but something can be done about the Honourable Members’ metaphorical pong. The countryside in general and agricultural and sporting interests in particular have been treated with contempt and we must ensure that there are political consequences.

Opposite is a list of those MPs who have repeatedly used their position to put the urban boot into rural life by sup-porting the Hunting Act and signing up to potentially damaging Early Day Motions relating to shooting, snares and hunting. Let local candidates know that your vote is affected by countryside issues and use that vote to effect change.

Make sure that you are registered to vote, are able to get to the polling station or have organised a postal vote. This time there can be no excuses for not making ourselves heard.
To find out how you can help visit www.vote-ok.co.uk

 

NAME                Constituency     Majority

● Graham Allen    Nottingham North    12,171           
● David Amess    Southend West    8,959
● Janet Anderson    Rossendale & Darwen    3,676
● Norman Baker    Lewes    8,474
● *Roger Berry    Kingswood    7,873
● Tom Brake    Carshalton & Wallington    1,068
● Annette Brooke    Mid Dorset & Poole North    5,482
● Martin Caton    Gower    6,703
● Jeremy Corbyn    Islington North    6,716
● David Crausby    Bolton North East    4,103
● Jim Cunningham    Coventry South    6,255
● Edward Davey    Kingston & Surbiton    8,966
● Jim Dobbin    Heywood & Middleton    11,083
● Frank Doran    Aberdeen North    6,795
● *Jim Dowd    Lewisham West    9,932
● Angela Eagle    Wallasey    9,109
● Michael J Foster    Hastings & Rye    2,026
● Roger Gale    North Thanet    7,634
● Sanda Gidley    Romsey    125
● Patrick Hall    Bedford    3,383
● David Heyes    Ashton-under-Lyne    13,952
● Paul Holmes    Chesterfield    3,045
● *Kelvin Hopkins    Luton North    6,487
● George Howarth    Knowsley North & Sefton East    16,269
● Glenda Jackson    Hampstead & Highgate    3,742
● Brian Jenkins    Tamworth    2,569
● Alan Keen    Feltham & Heston    6,820
● Andrew Love    Edmonton    8,075
● Judy Mallaber    Amber Valley    5,275
● John McDonnell    Hayes & Harlington    10,847
● Andrew Miller    Ellesmere Port & Neston    6,486
● Stephen Pound    Ealing North    7,059
● Gordon Prentice    Pendle    2,180
● *Gwyn Prosser    Dover    4,941
● John Pugh    Southport    3,838
● Joan Ruddock    Lewisham Deptford    11,811
● Bob Russell    Colchester    6,277
● Adrian Sanders    Torbay    2,029
● Jim Sheridan    Paisley & Renfrewshire North    11,001
● Dennis Skinner    Bolsover    18,437
● Geraldine Smith    Morecambe & Lunesdale    4,768
● Phyllis Starkey    Milton Keynes South West    4,010
● Andrew Stunell    Hazel Grove    7,748
● Mark Tami    Alyn & Deeside    8,378
● Jon Trickett    Hemsworth    13,481
● *Robert Wareing    Liverpool, West Derby    15,225
● Steve Webb    Northavon    11,033
● David Winnick    Walsall North    6,640
● *Mike Wood    Batley & Spen    5,788
● Anthony D Wright    Great Yarmouth    3,055
● David Wright    Telford    5,406