Latefortheraces
At the Start
I'm not sure if this was on the thread in the week !
Police squire in mire over hunting ban
WHILE police forces across the country prepare for widespread civil disobedience as they try to enforce the hunting ban, one chief constable has more reason than most to agonise over the ramifications of the new law.
John Giffard, chief constable of Staffordshire, faces a difficult conflict between professional duty and family tradition when the ban is introduced in February. For Giffard is also the Eton-educated 29th squire of Chillington Hall, near Codsall Wood, Staffordshire, and comes from a long line of fox-hunters.
Arguably Britain’s most aristocratic policeman, he spends his weekends running the estate which was given to his family 800 years ago as a reward for helping William the Conqueror to win the battle of Hastings in 1066.
The local Albrighton hunt was founded by his ancestor Walter Giffard in 1830 and his father, Peter Richard de Longueville Giffard, was its vice-chairman.
As a young man Giffard used to follow the hunt and his sister still does. Today he allows its members to hunt foxes across the 4,000-acre estate whose gardens were landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century.
Now Giffard — or “Giff” as he is known to his friends — will have to break with centuries of tradition and ban the family-founded hunt from his land. He also risks the wrath of villagers by ordering his 2,200 officers to arrest those who continue to hunt with hounds.
Last week Giffard, who is also vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said that he was clear where his duty lay: “At the moment, hunting is a lawful pursuit and my father would be very distressed if the hunt were not allowed onto my land. But as soon as the ban is in place, that’s the end of it.
“They can come here if they want but they will be trespassing. As to whether they are breaking the law, that will be for me and my officers to decide.”
It has clearly been difficult for Giffard, whose father used to hold grand hunt balls at the family home. “I accept the family tradition and everybody knows about that,” he said.
“But everybody knows that, as chief constable, I will enforce the law.”
His friends in the local community around Chillington and Albrighton suggest that he and Crescent, his Texan-born wife, may have private regrets about the ban. But Giffard said: “The hunting act will be enforced by my officers in accordance with whatever guidelines Acpo produces.
“There will be no different instructions locally and my position should not be considered to have any part in this at all.”
As well as the Albrighton hunt, Staffordshire is home to at least two other hunts and there is deep resentment among the rural community about the ban. Some locals expect it to be defied.
One said: “My feeling is that the hunt will continue, although we shall do our best to stay within the law. They (local people) feel very strongly about personal liberty and their personal liberty is being infringed.
“The ban is interfering with the rhyme and rhythm of countryside life. I wouldn’t like to be in John Giffard’s position at the moment. It’s a very difficult one.”
A leading member of the Albrighton hunt said that he too felt sympathy for the police chief: “I wouldn’t envy him his job at the moment. He’s got to police it without any extra money. He’s no doubt given it a lot of thought.
“People in the country are very, very angry. But we certainly shan’t be going out of our way to break any rules.”
That will come as a relief to Giffard, who is as passionate about the rule of law as he is a supporter of countryside sports. He lists shooting as one of his recreations in Debrett’s.
A friend said: “If the government was to ban shooting he would be the first to man the barricades.”
His family motto epitomises the Giffards’ traditional love of hunting. Designed for medieval Norman archers, it reads: “Take a deep breath, pull hard”.
In public at least, Giffard plays down his involvement with the Albrighton hunt. However, his reputation as a hunt supporter is so well established that it has led some in the Countryside Alliance to talk of him as a possible candidate to succeed John Jackson, the chairman, when he steps down.
Giffard laughs that off. He says he has not been approached and would not be “remotely interested” in applying for the job.
“I’d wager a quiet tenner with you that that’s not going to happen,” he said.
Police squire in mire over hunting ban
WHILE police forces across the country prepare for widespread civil disobedience as they try to enforce the hunting ban, one chief constable has more reason than most to agonise over the ramifications of the new law.
John Giffard, chief constable of Staffordshire, faces a difficult conflict between professional duty and family tradition when the ban is introduced in February. For Giffard is also the Eton-educated 29th squire of Chillington Hall, near Codsall Wood, Staffordshire, and comes from a long line of fox-hunters.
Arguably Britain’s most aristocratic policeman, he spends his weekends running the estate which was given to his family 800 years ago as a reward for helping William the Conqueror to win the battle of Hastings in 1066.
The local Albrighton hunt was founded by his ancestor Walter Giffard in 1830 and his father, Peter Richard de Longueville Giffard, was its vice-chairman.
As a young man Giffard used to follow the hunt and his sister still does. Today he allows its members to hunt foxes across the 4,000-acre estate whose gardens were landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century.
Now Giffard — or “Giff” as he is known to his friends — will have to break with centuries of tradition and ban the family-founded hunt from his land. He also risks the wrath of villagers by ordering his 2,200 officers to arrest those who continue to hunt with hounds.
Last week Giffard, who is also vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said that he was clear where his duty lay: “At the moment, hunting is a lawful pursuit and my father would be very distressed if the hunt were not allowed onto my land. But as soon as the ban is in place, that’s the end of it.
“They can come here if they want but they will be trespassing. As to whether they are breaking the law, that will be for me and my officers to decide.”
It has clearly been difficult for Giffard, whose father used to hold grand hunt balls at the family home. “I accept the family tradition and everybody knows about that,” he said.
“But everybody knows that, as chief constable, I will enforce the law.”
His friends in the local community around Chillington and Albrighton suggest that he and Crescent, his Texan-born wife, may have private regrets about the ban. But Giffard said: “The hunting act will be enforced by my officers in accordance with whatever guidelines Acpo produces.
“There will be no different instructions locally and my position should not be considered to have any part in this at all.”
As well as the Albrighton hunt, Staffordshire is home to at least two other hunts and there is deep resentment among the rural community about the ban. Some locals expect it to be defied.
One said: “My feeling is that the hunt will continue, although we shall do our best to stay within the law. They (local people) feel very strongly about personal liberty and their personal liberty is being infringed.
“The ban is interfering with the rhyme and rhythm of countryside life. I wouldn’t like to be in John Giffard’s position at the moment. It’s a very difficult one.”
A leading member of the Albrighton hunt said that he too felt sympathy for the police chief: “I wouldn’t envy him his job at the moment. He’s got to police it without any extra money. He’s no doubt given it a lot of thought.
“People in the country are very, very angry. But we certainly shan’t be going out of our way to break any rules.”
That will come as a relief to Giffard, who is as passionate about the rule of law as he is a supporter of countryside sports. He lists shooting as one of his recreations in Debrett’s.
A friend said: “If the government was to ban shooting he would be the first to man the barricades.”
His family motto epitomises the Giffards’ traditional love of hunting. Designed for medieval Norman archers, it reads: “Take a deep breath, pull hard”.
In public at least, Giffard plays down his involvement with the Albrighton hunt. However, his reputation as a hunt supporter is so well established that it has led some in the Countryside Alliance to talk of him as a possible candidate to succeed John Jackson, the chairman, when he steps down.
Giffard laughs that off. He says he has not been approached and would not be “remotely interested” in applying for the job.
“I’d wager a quiet tenner with you that that’s not going to happen,” he said.