A leaked e-mail suggests Tory PPC for Portsmouth North, Penny Mordaunt, will rely on bussing in foxhunt supporters in her bid to win a parliamentary seat. According to Brian Brown of Clinkard Meon Valley Beagles, who has promised to drum up activists, the Tory has attended hunt meets and will vote to make foxhunting, stag-hunting and hare-coursing legal again in a vote Tory leader David Cameron has guaranteed if he becomes Prime Minister. The Hampshire Boodhounds and the Chiddingfold and Leconfield Foxhounds have also been asked to help the Tory's campaign effort.

Douglas Batchelor, Chief Executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said Ms Mordaunt's support for hunting was "baffling".

"Polling by Ipsos-MORI in the autumn found that 75% of the public support the ban on fox hunting, 84% support the ban on stag hunting, and 85% support the ban on hare coursing. Why on earth anyone would want to rake over the coals of this old debate are baffling."

Sarah McCarthy-Fry, the sitting Labour MP who hopes to be re-elected,
said: "I back the ban and would like to see better enforcement of it.
Who are the Tories representing when their top two priorities are giving £200,000 to the 3,000 richest estates in the UK, and making the hunting of foxes and stags with dogs legal?"

The MP has a strong record on animal welfare and as a backbencher her first Private Members Bill called for a ban on the use of electric shock collars for training dogs. The leaked e-mail suggested it was her strong support for the foxhunting ban as well as the Tory PPC's commitment to reversing it, which led pro-hunting groups to target Portsmouth North.

Labour confirmed they would welcome supporters of the foxhunting ban who wanted to help with Sarah McCarthy-Fry's re-election campaign, but that their campaign would prioritise jobs,  public services and the future of the dockyard, and will rely mainly on local volunteers.

Labour PPC for Portsmouth South and Portsmouth Labour Party Chair John Ferrett said: "As usual, we will rely on local members and supporters, with the support of trade unions representing ordinary people at work, to deliver our campaign. The Tories are relying on bussing in pro-foxhunting activists from all over Hampshire, supported by wealthy donors whose tax status is unclear, like Lord Ashcroft."

Residents wishing to register their opposition to making hunting foxes with dogs legal again can do so by visiting backtheban.com