The Countryside Alliance shows a sensible realism with its statement on the likely continuation of the hunting ban, at least for the next couple of years.

But that does not mean the Alliance accepts the League Against Cruel Sports' analysis that the vote, when it does come, will decide in favour of maintaining the ban. That issue is far from settled.

Pro-hunt groups argued vociferously during Labour's negotiations to bring in a ban that there were far more important issues than hunting to deal with. It can hardly now claim that reversing the ban is the top priority for the nation.

The truth is hunting is a minority activity that continues in a lawful way despite confusing and hard-to-enforce legislation. That's not ideal and the Western Morning News supports the Conservative pledge of a free vote. But after the toughest Comprehensive Spending Review in decades, costing up to half a million public sector jobs and deep cuts in Britain's defences, now is not the time to be debating hunting. So long as the issue comes up in the next five years David Cameron will have kept his pre-election pledge. That's what matters.