​The three biggest anti-hunt campaign groups have joined forces to co-ordinate their lobbying against coalition plans that could clear the way for the ban on hunting with dogs to be lifted.

The League Against Cruel Sports, the RSPCA and IFAW are preparing to work much closer together to see off the prospect of a “return to cruelty”.

The move is seen as an attempt to bring together the combined might of more than one million supporters.

While stopping short of a formal coalition, the alliance is an indication of the animal welfare movement’s concern that a free vote on the repeal of the 2005 Hunting Act could be passed by the new House of Commons.

The Conservatives fought the election on the promise of a free vote, with senior figures including David Cameron and William Hague making clear they thought the “bad law” should be overturned.

Their campaign was bolstered when a group of former civil service mandarins singled it out as a “notorious example of bad government”.

However, the outcome of the General Election, which left the Tories short of an overall majority, muddied the waters.

The coalition agreement states: “We will bring forward a motion on a free vote enabling the House of Commons to express its view on the repeal of the Hunting Act.”

It was seen as a concession to the Liberal Democrats who are reluctant to be seen to be reopening the issue. The initial vote, not due to be held until next year at the earliest, would be an opportunity to indicate whether or not the prospect of repeal should even be considered.

Many of the new intake of MPs, particularly Lib Dems and Tories from Devon and Cornwall, do not hold strong views either way about hunting with dogs and believe Parliament should concentrate on dealing with the record national deficit.

Now the three anti-hunt campaign groups have signed up to a “joint statement of intent” and will “centrally coordinate” their activities in Westminster in a bid to face down the potential for repeal.

The three groups state that repeal of the Hunting Act would be “barbaric and a backward step for a civilised society”.

“Hunting with dogs was consigned to the history books because the majority of the public found it abhorrent. Those calling for repeal of this law are effectively calling for a return to cruelty,” the statement adds.

“We will vigorously defend the law with all available resources, the backing of our one million-plus supporters and the vast majority of the public. We are calling on people to contact their MPs asking them to vote to protect the Hunting Act.

“The public has consistently opposed the cruel and unnecessary chasing and killing of foxes, deer, hare and mink by dogs, and does not want any return to killing for fun.”

Torbay Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders has been outspoken in his criticism of the idea of a returning to fox hunting.

He said: “It is clear from the opinion polls that the British population oppose hunting with hounds but it is often all too easy for politicians to give in to the vocal minority who support such cruel activities.

“I strongly believe that we must take a principled stand on this issue and insist that it is always wrong to abuse animals; if species need to have their population controlled, there are kinder methods that can be used and above all this should not be used as an excuse for people to gain pleasure from the suffering of animals.”