A truly bizarre story in The Daily Mail here about a complaint from The Countryside Alliance. The complaint seems to stem from the fact that Chief Inspector Lou Hubble took part in a spoof rap video made in tribute to Supt Nick Lyall the Chair of the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group. We will avoid dwelling on The Mail’s lurid description of Chief Inspector Hubble’s actions whilst performing the ‘X-rated rap song’. Readers can read them for themselves, and see the video at the link above.

Later in its story The Mail quotes an unnamed individual as follows: “One field sports activist, who did not want to be named, told MailOnline: ‘Chief Inspector Hubble is supposed to be impartial but she is seen in this video on very jovial terms with somebody we consider to be an animal rights extremist who has been a constant thorn in the side of those of us who lawfully shoot game. The police should not take sides like this.'” The context of the comment would suggest that Dr Ruth Tingay of Wild Justice and Raptor Persecution UK is the ‘animal rights extremist’ referred to. At least one member of BASC staff was happy to appear in the video is he too an ‘animal rights extremist’?

The big concern that we have is why someone who enforces the law without fear or favour should be the subject of a complaint when they take part in a video with various individuals who work and campaign for the law to be enforced. Surely in a democratic society governed under the rule of law this is something we should all support.

We don’t know either Chief Inspector Hubble or Dr Tingay personally but we are aware of vile and disgusting comments and allegations about them and others that have been made online whilst suggesting that they are trying to destroy field sports and the country way of life. We blogged about this on the 21st of October last year and invited those from the various bodies that represent hunting, shooting and fishing interests throughout the UK to step forward and condemn such comments unreservedly. We are still waiting.

Incidentally we do hope that The Mail has followed all the appropriate copyright laws when placing the video on their website.