QUEEN guitarist Brian May has launched a major new campaign to try to prevent the return of legalised blood sports to the British Countryside.

The SAVE-ME campaign – named after May’s song, a world-wide hit record for Queen – calls on the British public to consider how their vote will affect the welfare of animals; and in particular fox-hunting, stag hunting and hare-coursing. The first SAVE-ME campaign poster was unveiled by Brian May at a prime advertising site on London’s West Cromwell Road (junction Warwick Road).

The campaign is non-aligned politically, but is a direct response to the announcement from David Cameron that if the Tories are elected they will, in the first month of their term, introduce a free vote in the House to repeal the Hunting Act, 2004, which made it illegal to hunt wild animals using dogs.

The Save-Me campaign is asking members of the public to support the cause of animals by signing up at www.save-me.org.uk and aims to recruit a million supporters by polling day. Supporters will be encouraged to ask their local candidates to make a clear commitment, for or against fox-hunting before polling day – and to declare which way they will vote if there is a Commons vote to repeal the Hunting Act.

Ahead of the launch, May said: It’s clear that the vast majority of the British public are animal lovers, and abhor the cruelty of hunting with packs of dogs. That is why the Hunting Act was democratically passed as law in 2004. We believe that every voter in this election has the right to know whether their candidate will vote for the demolition of this act. We will urge everyone to support only those candidates who commit to voting against the repeal, keeping the law in place, and ultimately banning cruelty from our countryside.”

Brian May is contacting all candidates of the three main parties today, giving every candidate his personal mobile phone number and asking them to text him with their position on the proposed repeal.

All who sign up as supporters to the SAVE-ME campaign will receive a personalised message from Brian May the day before the election, confirming the position of their local candidates on the fox-hunting issue – information that will help them decide how they will vote.

May added: “Our aim is to give animals a voice. We sense that many people are bored and unconvinced by the current debate between parties, and might simply not bother to vote. We hope this initiative will inspire everyone to come out and vote this time – perhaps for the first time – for decent treatment for animals. We will support any candidate from any party who commits to keeping the law against hunting in place. ”

Many other well-known names have already committed to the Save-Me campaign, and will be publicly declaring their support in the coming weeks.

For more info visit Save-me.org.uk.