FOX HUNTING

History was made on the 14th February 2002, when the Scottish Parliament finally did something sensible. By a vote of 83 to 36, the ancient "Sport" of Fox-Hunting was finally outlawed.

Those who oppose the ban (ie everybody who thinks that seeing wild animals torn apart whilst still breathing is jolly good fun) have vowed to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights, using the economic loss to the rural economy as one of the mainstays of their argument. This is akin to arguing that hanging should not have been banned because of the ensuing redundancies amongst hangmen, scaffold-builders and rope makers.

With luck, not that it should be required, the European Court will laugh in their fox-bloodied faces and send them packing with their fox-tails between their legs. And, just for good measure, stick their bugles up their arses so they never forget it.