HUNTING with hounds must be outlawed as soon as possible, according to fresh demands by South Swindon MP Julia Drown.

In an effort to increase pressure on the Government over the stalled plan, she has backed a new Parliamentary motion urging an end to the blood sport.

It states: "We look forward to the rapid re-introduction of the Hunt Bill so that hunting with dogs can be banned."

The official motion also highlights research claiming 76 per cent of the British public want to see hunting made illegal.

A total of 73 MPs have backed the renewed call so far.

The move is the latest in a long line of efforts to get a ban on hunting.

Two months ago hundreds of MPs signed a demand for Tony Blair to re-introduce legislation in the next few weeks.

But the Government has still failed to announce what its plans are, after the Hunt Bill was thrown out by the House of Lords last year.

It had promised to use the Parliament Act to force the ban through because an overwhelming majority of MPs want hunting stopped.

If this step were taken, the ban could become law before the end of the current session in October.

Since 1995 there have been nine votes at Westminster aiming to to end hunting.

However, Simon Hart, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, has warned the public could punish MPs who are obsessed with hunting rather than real priorities such as health and education.

He said: "By failing to concentrate on real priorities, especially at a time when there are so many pressing domestic and international issues on the political agenda, backbench Labour MPs are making their Government look ridiculous."