RIBBLE Valley's MP has expressed his disappointment after the Commons backed a crucial hunting Bill and stressed that it will have "devastating" effects on the local rural economy.
Nigel Evans slammed MPs for backing the second stage of the Hunting Bill by 368 votes to 155.
The Bill, if passed fully, will ban hare coursing and stag-hunting.
However, Anti-hunt MPs are likely to wait until the committee stage, or third reading of the Bill, before introducing amendments to impose a full ban on hunting.
Mr Evans said that if a ban was to become law it would inflict more problems on Ribble Valley's rural economy, which is already suffering from serious problems.
He said: "It is going to be devastating for the Ribble Valley. We have already seen post offices and corner shops closing
"The rural economy is in freefall, the heart has been ripped out of countless rural communities and the Government's answer is to ban hunting and inflict yet more pain on rural folk.
"In my constituency Tosside has lost its school, West Bradford has lost its corner shop and its post office is running reduced hours and Stonyhurst has lost its post office.
"The closure of these vital services further marginalises the people in rural communities and contributes to their economic exclusion."
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