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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Jilly Beattie

'Hunting with Dogs' vote could impact results for some MLAs seeking re-election

The count is on and speculation is rife on the election results after Northern Ireland went to the polls on Thursday with 239 candidates seeking 90 seats.

By Saturday evening the results should be in, no doubt leaving 149 people wondering exactly what went wrong for them.

And animal welfare campaigners across Northern Ireland believe a percentage of lost votes could come down to a decision 150 days ago in which MLAs voted for or against an anti hunting bill. brought forward by the Alliance Party.

MLAs who cast their votes in December on John Blair's proposed bill which sought to have hunting with dogs banned, did so after research revealed that it could impact future election decisions by voters.

Read more: How to keep yourself safe when walking your dog alone

The proposed Bill was narrowly defeated 45 to 38 with votes against the bill from all 25 Sinn Fein MLAs, 19 from the DUP and TUV leader Jim Allister. The votes supporting the bill came from seven Alliance MLAs, nine from the Ulster Unionist Party, six from the DUP, two from the Green Party and 10 from the SDLP.

Research in place before the Thursday's election showed that the majority of people surveyed in Northern Ireland about the bill would be less likely to vote for candidates who supported hunting animals with dogs. And if their party was mainly or wholly pro hunting too, their chances of garnering votes from the population were diminished too.

One local anti-hunt campaign group has continued to lobby MLAs on social media to continue their fight to have hunting with dogs banned here. And their Change.org petition is one of the petitions in the UK, currently with almost 62,000 people's signatures.

Participants in the research were asked two questions in the survey carried out by Survation on behalf of the League Against Cruel Sports Northern Ireland.

Question 1: “If a candidate standing in your local constituency during a general election supported hunting live animals using dogs, would this make you more or less likely to vote for them?”

Question 2: “If a political party supported hunting live animals using dogs, would this make you more or less likely to vote for them?”


More than 70% of those surveyed also said that they would be less likely to vote for a party which supported hunting.

The Survation poll found that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland - almost 70% of those surveyed, were in favour of a ban on hunting animals with dogs. Other findings included:

  • Deer hunting with dogs: 84% want it banned and 8% saying it should remain legal
  • Fox hunting with dogs: 76% said fox hunting with dogs should be made illegal, with just 15% saying it should remain legal.
  • Hare hunting with dogs: 76% said hare hunting with dogs should be banned, with just 12% saying it should remain legal.
  • Rabbit hunting with dogs: 74% said rabbit hunting with dogs should be made illegal, with just 15% saying it should remain legal.

John Blair of the Alliance Party said his personal and political view was that hunting could not be considered a sport and was deeply disappointed by the result of the vote on his bill.

A public consultation had attracted more than 18,000 respondents, with 80% in favour of a ban. Hunting wild mammals with dogs has been illegal in Scotland, England and Wales since the early 2000s.

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Here's how NI politicians voted over the bill to outlaw hunting animals with dogs
(SF)

SINN FÉIN: MLAs who voted against the bill

  • Caoimhe Archibald : East Londonderry
  • Cathal Boylan: Newry and Armagh
  • Nicola Brogan: West Tyrone
  • Pádraig Delargy : Foyle
  • Linda Dillon : Mid Ulster
  • Jemma Dolan : Fermanagh and South Tyrone
  • Sinéad Ennis : South Down
  • Ciara Ferguson : Foyle
  • Órlaithí Flynn: Belfast West
  • Colm Gildernew : Fermanagh and South Tyrone
  • Deirdre Hargey : Belfast South
  • Declan Kearney: South Antrim
  • Gerry Kelly: Belfast North
  • Liz Kimmins : Newry and Armagh
  • Philip McGuigan: North Antrim
  • Maolíosa McHugh : West Tyrone
  • Áine Murphy : Fermanagh and South Tyrone
  • Conor Murphy: Newry and Armagh
  • Carál Ní Chuilín: Belfast North
  • John O’Dowd : Upper Bann
  • Michelle O’Neill: Mid Ulster
  • Aisling Reilly: Belfast West
  • Emma Rogan: South Down
  • Pat Sheehan : Belfast West
  • Emma Sheerin : Mid Ulster
(TUV)

TUV: MLA who voted against the bill

  • Jim Allister: North Antrim
(DUP)

DUP: MLAs who voted against the bill

  • Maurice Bradley: East Londonderry
  • Keith Buchanan: Mid Ulster
  • Thomas Buchanan: West Tyrone
  • Jonathan Buckley: Upper Bann
  • Trevor Clarke: South Antrim
  • Diane Dodds : Upper Bann
  • Stephen Dunne : North Down
  • Paul Frew : North Antrim
  • Paul Givan: Lagan Valley
  • Harry Harvey : Strangford
  • David Hilditch : East Antrim
  • William Humphrey: Belfast North
  • William Irwin: Newry and Armagh
  • Gordon Lyons: East Antrim
  • Michelle McIlveen : Strangford
  • Gary Middleton: Foyle
  • Edwin Poots: Belfast South
  • George Robinson : East Londonderry
  • Mervyn Storey : North Antrim

(Alliance Party)

ALLIANCE PARTY: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Kellie Armstrong : Strangford
  • John Blair : South Antrim
  • Paula Bradshaw : Belfast South
  • Stewart Dickson: East Antrim
  • Naomi Long : Belfast East
  • Chris Lyttle: Belfast East
  • Andrew Muir: North Down
(UUP)

ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Steve Aiken : South Antrim
  • Andy Allen: Belfast East
  • Rosemary Barton : Fermanagh and South Tyrone
  • Doug Beattie: Upper Bann
  • Robbie Butler : Lagan Valley
  • Alan Chambers: North Down
  • Mike Nesbitt: Strangford
  • John Stewart: East Antrim
  • Robin Swann: North Antrim
(SDLP)

SDLP: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Sinéad Bradley: South Down
  • Pat Catney : Lagan Valley
  • Mark Durkan : Foyle
  • Cara Hunter: East Londonderry
  • Dolores Kelly: Upper Bann
  • Daniel McCrossan : West Tyrone
  • Patsy McGlone: Mid Ulster
  • Colin McGrath: South Down
  • Justin McNulty : Newry and Armagh
  • Matthew O’Toole: Belfast South
(DUP)

DUP: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Paula Bradley: Belfast North
  • Joanne Bunting: Belfast East
  • Pam Cameron: South Antrim
  • Christopher Stalford : South Belfast
  • Peter Weir: Strangford
(Green Party NI)

GREEN PARTY: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Clare Bailey : Belfast South
  • Rachel Woods : Rachel Woods
(People Before Profit)

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT ALLIANCE: MLA who voted in favour of the bill

  • Gerry Carroll

INDEPENDENT UNIONISTS: MLAs who voted in favour of the bill

  • Alex Easton : North Down
  • Claire Sugden: East Londonderry
  • Jim Wells : South Down

INDEPENDENT: MLA who voted in favour of the bill

  • Trevor Lunn: Lagan Valley

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