Bid to close fox hunting loopholes - your views online

A minister has said loopholes around fox hunting will be closed as new legislation goes through its final stage in 2023.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said the Hunting with Dogs Bill will end loopholes around the hunting of wild mammals in Scotland.

Peter Lewis: An urban parliament passing laws for the countryside and rural areas. What does MacAllan know about sheep farming? More virtue signalling from the SNP to attack false stereotypes and appeal to the prejudices of their city-based supporters. Basing policy on lazy stereotypes is not a good a idea for those who live and work in the country. If parts of Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen had a rat infestation would you promote laws to stop rat catchers?

Alastair Browne: These idiots who are against freedom of choice and actions should keep their noses out of matters that don’t concern them. Welcome to “dictatorship Scotland”.

Mairi McAllan’s Hunting with Dogs Bill aims to close loopholes around the hunting of wild mammals with hounds

Angelo Greig: When freedom of choice and action results in an animal being ripped to shreds by a pack of hounds so that comically dressed, posh twits riding on horses and blowing horns can enjoy themselves, then the line is firmly drawn. There's no place in society for this barbaric so-called “sport”. If the number of foxes has to be controlled, in can be done in a humane way. Ricky Gervais was right when he tweeted: “The only way fox hunting would count as vermin control is if the posh tw*** fell off their horses and broke their necks.”

Ricky Pearson: It should be completely banned – it’s no way for an animal to die. Anyone that thinks this blood sport should keep going needs their head checked out.

John Holmes: Oh dear, what will those idle, rich good-for-nothings do now?

Rory J Oatts: Hunting is part of British cultural heritage. But why would lefty Scots care about that?

Gill Brownlie: Children getting sent up chimneys used to be part of “British culture”. That doesn’t mean it’s acceptable .

Arthur Thompson: Has nobody seen what the rat catchers do with their dogs hunting rats or what dogs do to rabbits while out for a walk with their owners? And yet we become hypocritical when posh people follow an ancient tradition.

Lesley Anthony: I always find it wrong that people find watching a small animal dying in agony is “fun”. A bit sick, I think.

Boxing Day traffic

Shoppers hoping for a Boxing Day bargain were warned they could face traffic jams as rail strikes saw train services brought to a halt.

Stevie Donnelly: That’s a wee dig at the unions. There’s no need for shops to be open on Boxing Day but they are because the greedy shop owners need to earn even more money. The shop staff deserve a holiday too. The reason we have these holidays, sick pay and redundancy pay is because the trade unions fought for them so please remember that when sniping at the men and women who are taking industrial action just now.

Kacey Milne: People choose to go to the Boxing Day sales – no-one is forced. If there were stronger unions the shops would be closed so that the staff could have a decent break following the hectic pre-Christmas rush.

David Carnegie: The saddest thing I ever saw was hundreds of folk queuing outside Next at 3am on Boxing Day. Enjoy spending time with your loved ones for at least one day.

Paul Wilson: What’s more unbelievable is these halfwits that queue up believe they’re getting a bargain when most of the time there’s a sale on just about all year round.

Paul Clarkson: Driving is a choice. A choice politicians are trying to take away from people,

Philip Dru: Rail strikes aren't causing congestion – motorists are.

Linda Hendry Lennen: Retail staff need family time too. Shopping can surely wait one day.

Colin Mackay: Don’t blame the shops, they only open on Boxing Day (or any other day) because they will make money. If customers don’t go out shopping, the issue will resolve itself.

Donna TN Winning: Costco is closed on Boxing Day every year and every year people ask why we close. Er, because we have a life too.

Ash Douglas: But I needed to go to the Boxing Day sales and get five per cent off an item they’ve marked up by 40 per cent right before Christmas!