THE ban on hunting with dogs is likely to remain despite the change in Government as there would be "uproar" if it were to be addressed at this time of financial crisis, campaigners in the South West have admitted.

The economic downturn meant that attempts to change the law were a low priority, the Countryside Alliance said.

OUTLAWED: Hunting with dogs is expected to remain banned because a repeal vote would be 'ridiculous' at a time of financial crisis, campaigners admit

As the official season starts way this week, the alliance in the South West said it would be "ridiculous" to expect a vote, considering the state of the country in the wake of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Regional director Alison Hawes said: "From our perspective, bearing in mind that the Government has an awful lot to sort out, nobody would expect it to revisit the ban until it has sorted out the other issues that are risking jobs and people's futures. It would be ridiculous.

"We think it will be a couple of years. We are confident there will be a vote in the next five years. The Prime Minister and a large number of Conservative MPs made it very clear they are committed to bringing forward a vote and we are getting reassurances that they will do it.

"The time has to be right. At this point, where we have deficit cuts and are reducing public spending, if the Government announced that it was looking at the ban there would be uproar, and that is understandable."

On Sunday it emerged that only 253 of 650 MPs are committed to repealing the Act. Opponents of hunting say fewer than one in five people would support overturning the ban.

A YouGov poll for the League Against Cruel Sports found that 59 per cent wanted to see the ban kept in place, 17 per cent wanted a repeal, 14 per cent would like a free vote by MPs and 10 per cent did not know.

League chief executive Douglas Batchelor said: "Hunters facing court cases, increasing numbers of convictions, public revulsion at the slaughter of wildlife and a House of Commons firmly against repeal send a strong message that illegal hunting will not be tolerated and repeal is nothing but a pipe dream.

"We have a majority of 66 MPs opposing repeal. Public support is very strongly in our favour, and MPs realise that. We are feeling more positive than we have for a very long time and we are confident that the Hunting Act won't face any real threat during this parliament."

The alliance contests the findings and says negotiations for a change in the law are taking place "behind the scenes".

It said: "Maybe if Labour had not spent 700 hours talking about this law the economy might not be in this state."