LABOUR has a long and proud tradition of protecting and improving the rights of animals.

Indeed it was ten years ago this week (November 18) that the previous Labour government finally ended the cruel and frankly inexcusable practice of hunting with dogs, through the 2004 Hunting Act – which was of course championed by my predecessor Alun Michael.

As readers may be aware, the coalition government made a commitment to hold a free vote on repealing the Hunting Act in this Parliament.

Now, unfortunately, it seems that David Cameron and the Tories are determined to open up the debate again, with the current secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs Liz Truss recently saying that the Hunting Act was a ‘mistake’ and that she would ‘vote for a repeal’.

With Britain facing a cost of living crisis, this Tory obsession to hold another vote in Parliament on this shows just how out of touch they are with people’s day to day lives.

The Hunting Act remains one of Labour’s proudest achievements and is widely supported across the country.

It is my belief that there can be no place in a civilised society for animal cruelty - and I believe that the vast majority of the British public support the ban on hunting with hounds.

I know from the emails and letters I receive on this subject - and on other animal rights issues - that there are very many people here in Penarth and right across the constituency who fully support the Hunting Act and its intentions.

I have been strongly opposed to fox hunting since I was a child; indeed the first political letter I ever wrote - at the age of eight - was on this very subject.

I can assure all readers that I will vigorously oppose any attempt by the Government to repeal or amend this important legislation.

I was delighted to welcome a large party from Penarth’s Albert Primary School to parliament last week.

The children and staff were in London for a wider visit taking in the Imperial War Museum and the Cenotaph as part of their World War I commemoration studies, and I was able to show them the parliamentary WWI memorial, as well as talk to them about my role as an MP.

They asked some searching questions, and I was hugely impressed by their engagement.

The children were a credit to their school, their parents and Penarth!