The county's fox hunting supporters who have vowed to ignore legislation banning their sport, have been accused of inciting anarchy by their local MP, Nick Ainger (pictured).

On Saturday, dozens of members of the South Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire and Tivyside hunts converged on the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells for a protest meet organised by the Countryside Alliance.

Many signed a 'declaration of intent' signalling their intention to disobey any future law banning hunting. This action has been condemned by Nick Ainger, Labour MP for South Pembrokeshire and West Carmarthenshire. He has played a key role in steering the Hunting Bill through Parliament.

"If Parliament decides this should be law and people choose to ignore it then we are into anarchy, it is a very slippery slope indeed," he told the Western Telegraph. "This is an issue that no-one can claim has not been properly debated. I would expect everyone to accept that the full process has gone through Parliament and all views have been correctly expressed and scrutinised."

Diane Clements, treasurer of the South Pembrokeshire Hunt, defended the actions of her fellow hunt members. "There is a huge strength of feeling on this issue. When normally law-abiding citizens consider breaking the law, it is a message to the Government that they must listen to the voice of the countryside."

She challenged Mr Ainger's assertion that the Bill had been democratically debated. "Alun Michael's original Bill was for a strict system of licensing but MPs turned it on its head and demanded a ban. I would question the democracy in that," she said.

It is unlikely that a ban will be introduced before the start of the 2004 season, but Mr Ainger suggested that there was a strong likelihood that the Government would use the Parliament Act to ban hunting by 2005.