WILL Wright (Letters, January 20) rightly draws attention to the horrendous nature of badger baiting.

According to the RSPCA, this primitive and barbaric blood sport has increased recently and it is no coincidence that David Cameron has given the go-ahead for the mass extermination of our badgers, beginning later this year, so as not to spoil the Olympics or the Queen’s Jubilee.

Of course, the gross cruelty inflicted on defenceless animals by those convicted in the badger-baiting case is no different from that routinely inflicted by those involved in cub-hunting, where fox cubs are also torn apart in similar fashion, in order to train the hounds to kill.

Since Cameron is himself a keen participant in fox-hunting and intends to try to overturn the Hunting Act in the near future, perhaps someone could explain to me why he and his friends are any different from the thugs convicted of badger baiting?

Cameron has no scruples about manipulating the so-called ‘democratic’ system in support of his fellow blood junkies and has nothing but contempt for the overwhelming majority of the electorate who despise fox-hunting.

He is also keen to support the corrupt dairy industry in slaughtering our badgers, despite the scientific evidence that this will make little or no difference to TB in cattle and may well make matters even worse.

The ‘Dear Leader’ is naturally keen to ‘re-educate’ the ignorant masses and that is why his government has supported the institution of a new vocational NVQ educational course, leading to a diploma in hunting.

The course stipulates that ‘the highest standards of animal welfare will be upheld.' Oh well. That sounds very reassuring.

PETER LANGLEY, Windmill Road, Headington, Oxford