THE irony of government minister Hilary Armstrong's words last Friday will not be lost on the region's huntsmen and women this weekend.

The minister spoke of the need for a "living, working, protected and vibrant countryside" - exactly the sort of countryside the sport of hunting helps to provide.

And yet it is Ms Armstrong's government which has acquiesced to the woolly thinking behind misguided attempts to ban the activity and led to last night's Commons vote.

It is interesting that Home Secretary Jack Straw, arguably the sharpest mind in the Cabinet, did not vote for the ban. He can see how deeply illiberal an outright ban is and how it amounts to a denial of an ancient freedom.

It is interesting that the Prime Minister did not bother to vote, stating explicitly through his No 10 office that the issue was not a high priority for him. Privately, he has indicated that he couldn't care less about hunting, which is in fact the attitude of most people. To be more precise, those that do have views about hunting do not hold them strongly enough to deny other people their freedom.

Mr Blair, a sound judge of public mood, knows this and would dearly love to be rid of the issue.

The Bill will not become law in this Parliament, thanks to the intellectual rigour of the House of Lords. It is to be hoped that Mr Blair, if he secures a second term, will have the courage to stand against the animals rights lobby and state there are better and more important things to do with Parliament than ban hunting.

Mr Blair has confessed to his government failing to do the important things in office. Second time round he will not get a second chance. Bans on hunting are a waste of his, and everyone else's, time.