Luke Pollard said “Yet again, it’s one rule for the Conservatives and their mates, another for everybody else.”

Scores of Boxing Day hunts are expected to go ahead today after trail hunting was made exempt from the rule of six, meaning the number of participants, rather than spectators, permitted at the meets is limitless.

The traditional meet was expected to be shelved this year after the executive body for trail-hunting – The Hunting Office –sent a bulletinto roughly 250 packs across England and Wales telling them to cancel.

“The hunting community needs to take the lead during these extraordinary times and act respectfully and responsibly to help the fight against coronavirus … and to ensure the wellbeing of the local community who are so supportive each and every year,” a statement said.

But according to the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance many will still go ahead, albeit in a…