HUNTING was carrying on regardless in Hampshire this week despite the massive shadow of a free "conscience" vote by MPs on its future.

All forms of hunting with hounds would be banned if the Hunting Bill became law. That Bill has flown decisively through two Parliamentary readings.

Today in the House of Commons, MPs were voting on three possible options - a total ban, maintain the status quo and allow it to continue unaltered or introduce strict new regulations and a licensing system.

Many people close to Parliament believe it will be sent to the House of Lords with a recommendation for a complete ban.

But there is a strong belief in some quarters that the Lords won't let it become law this time round.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has indicated that if it does fail, the ban will be included in Labour's manifesto for the next General Election.

But in Hampshire, there is a split of opinion among MPs. Conservatives Julian Lewis and Desmond Swayne, of New Forest East and West, will be voting for hunting to continue as it is, Winchester's Liberal Democrat Mark Oaten wants it to carry on with licensing and regulations and Southamp-ton's Labour duo of Alan Whitehead and John Denham will vote for the total ban.

Eastleigh's Lib Dem David Chidgey is visiting Latvia and Sweden with the Foreign Affairs Committee and will not be voting.

Dr Lewis said he had never been hunting but believed in the right of people to as they wished.

"People with little background and interest in the countryside should not be allowed to impose their will on those who have always been involved with countryside activities and traditions," he said.

"Labour now seems to have a rag bag of politically correct causes and one of those causes is hunting. But it won't stop there. Fishing will be next and there are some who won't be happy until we have total vegetarianism."

Mr Swayne paid a supportive visit to the hunt's Boxing Day meet at Brockenhurst and both he and Dr Lewis are likely to attend the Countryaide Alliance rally in London on March 18.

Commenting on the campaign, Mark Oaten said: "This is not a matter of importance to me. I find it appalling that there are people dying early of cancer in this country, but I don't get any letters about it.

"Yet I get about 4,000 letters on the rights of the fox. As far as I am concerned, people's priorities are all wrong."

Southampton Itchen's John Denham recalled the days when he worked with campaign groups "to expose the cruelty of buck hunting in the New Forest."

With supporters of a ban being accused of neglecting other issues, he said: "This is deeply unfair to the vast majority of people who have written to me about hunting, as they are equally concerned about poverty, health, the environment, education and many other issues."

His Southampton Test colleague Alan Whitehead said he accepted there were Areas where foxes needed to be controlled, but added: "There are far more humane ways of doing this than hunting them down with a pack of dogs."

Gosport's Peter Viggers suggested it would be "oppressive" of the Government to outlaw hunting.

But Isle of Wight MP Dr Peter Brand said: "I've got to respect and recognise the civil liberties of constituents who don't want to see hunting.''