Blair felt under pressure to ban foxhunting after donation, says Mandelson

A Tony Blair mask at a pro-hunting demonstration outside parliament in London before the vote to ban fox hunting. Photograph: Martin Argles/The Guardian

Tony Blair banned foxhunting in 2004 after coming under pressure from an animal rights group the Labour party had accepted a large donation from, Lord Mandelson has claimed.

Peter Mandelson, the peer and former Labour MP, said the former prime minister included a commitment to hold a free vote on hunting with dogs in Labour’s 1997 manifesto after receiving money from an animal welfare fund.