SIR - I fully support county council leader Keith Mitchell in his letter about the hunting issue (Oxford Mail, November 30).

But whatever arguments are put forward in its favour, it will never get through to Penny Little and her kind.

I have reminded them numerous times in letters to the Oxford Mail of the consequences a ban would mean to foxes - trapping, snaring, gassing and ill-aimed shooting, all of which, if not carried out properly, will result in a long, lingering death.

It never registers with these people that control will go on with more horrendous suffering, and it will not be possible for objectors to film it. A hunted fox is killed extremely quickly or escapes unscathed - there are no half measures.

The hunting ban, if it comes into force, is the result of a vindictive, arrogant, dictatorial Government, which set up an independent inquiry into hunting, which, after much costly research, decided that controlling foxes by hounds was no more cruel than any other means.

This it decided to ignore. The resulting Hunting Act, I am told, does not mention cruelty. Therefore, it is purely political.

Another example of the hypocritical and dictatorial attitude of the Blair Government, having set up a public inquiry at vast expense to the taxpayer, was the outrageous decision to ignore its resulting outcome, namely the housing of illegal immigrants on the Ministry of Defence site at Bicester. If this site was in a Labour-held constituency, it would never have been put forward.

If Tony Blair and his cronies want to house these people, may I suggest he converts Chequers and its surrounding land? After all, it is used only for weekend junketing.

ALLAN BUSBY

Abingdon Road

Marcham