The Countryside Alliance's Declaration Day turned out to be Desperation Day in the North West. Whilst the event organisers tried to put on a brave face on two very uninspired gatherings in the North West, those attending knew full well how badly it had backfired. The 'feeding' of what they claimed was the attendance figure to the media over the PA smacked of desperation. One hunter even commented that before today "I thought hunting would be banned, but after today I know it will."

In Cumbria a few hundred hunt supporters attended the Rydal Showground meet near Ambleside. Edmund Porter of the Eskdale and Ennerdale Foxhounds delivered one of the most uninspiring speeches in the history of hunting. Sam Butler of the Council of Hunting Associations tried to liven things up with an impassioned rant against an 'unjust law', however Mr Porter returned to thank several people he had forgotten the first time round and Mr Butler was soon forgotten. A song followed about John Peel but in keeping with the day no one joined in.

The Cheshire and North Wales gathering at Lord Daresbury's home at Hall Lane Farm, Warrington (they were due to meet on the Duke of Westminster land but he refused to allow them on after hearing more details of the event) was better attended with several hundred hunt members and supporters attending (organisers claimed over 2,000 but this was for the benefit of the media). Unfortunately this meet was no more inspired than the Cumbria one. It started off badly when the PA announcer pleaded for members of the Vale of Lune Harriers to shout out, none were present so he was met by total silence. The announcer then forgot several hunts in attendance and had to be reminded of them.

Two speeches followed, one by Owen Patterson MP (Conservative - Shropshire North) who implied Britain was like Hitler's Germany and a foul mouthed rant by Vini Faal, a member of the Sharston Lurcher and Terrier Club, against Gerald Kaufman MP. How much of this the media could repeat is debatable. And that was it. A young boy passing us on the way out asked his mother "why did we come?", and she replied "to show our support" to which the young boy replied "but we've wasted our time". At last some wise words.