WHEN Marjorie Embling (HAS, May 1) mistakenly states that I “more or less” support foxhunting, she is missing the point.

The attention on foxhunting is disproportionate to the size of the issue, allowing more widespread abuse to go unnoticed.

Studies show that animal abusers are overwhelmingly male, of low socioeconomic status and have experienced a violent upbringing.

Chasing foxes on horseback is not a recognised indicator.

Unlike Ms Embling, I grew up in an impoverished community where cruelty and neglect in all forms was accepted. Want, ignorance, poor parenting skills, substance abuse and lack of faith in the authorities, all contributed to the dysfunction of a community ill-served by Labour and SNP parties.

By shining a spotlight on our class differences at the upper end, we wilfully avoid a battle to improve the lot of our most desperate communities where police, social services and RSPCA inspectors etc. are working to achieve the impossible.

Hopefully, the admirable Anna Turley MP will be re-elected to continue her good work for animals. But the people of Shipley in West Yorkshire might consider engaging their conscience this time and voting out Philip Davis, the Tory MP whose filibustering meant Ms Turley’s private member’s bill to increase penalties for animal cruelty could not become law.

J Stanhope, Durham