The UK Government has postponed a vote to relax the fox-hunting ban south of the border after the SNP announced it would break its normal practice of abstaining on England-only matters.
Given his slender majority, David Cameron was facing defeat on amendments to the Hunting Act which would have brought the law in England and Wales into line with Scottish legislation.
It allows an unlimited number of dogs to be used to “flush out” a fox to be shot, compared with just two in England and Wales.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson welcomed the “pulling” of the vote – which had been due to take place today – but said the move underlined the “shambles of the Tort government who have sounded the bugle of retreat”.
He added: “This is another powerful reminder of just how fragile the Tories’ majority is.”
But the prime minister, who is understood to have planned to vote in favour of the reform, attacked the SNP for its “entirely opportunistic” position.
A Number 10 source confirmed the delay was caused by the Nationalists, saying: “This happened because Nicola Sturgeon has done a 180-degree U-turn. Her actions speak for themselves. That’s why we are in the position we are in.”
The SNP’s 56 MPs agreed on Monday to break with their normal practice of not voting on England-only matters.
Their opposition, coupled with Labour’s and that of a number of anti-hunting Conservatives who had been granted a free vote on the issue, was expected to be enough to block the change.
Ms Sturgeon directly linked the move to the UK Government’s plans for English votes for English laws (Evel) and warned that her party would be prepared to vote on other issues where Scotland was not directly affected in the months ahead.
Reacting to the decision to postpone the vote, PETA director Mimi Bekhechi hailed a victory for campaigners across the country and called on the UK Government to cancel the vote altogether.
Countryside Alliance Executive Chairman Barney White-Spunner said the issue had clearly become about the constitution rather than wildlife management.
He added: “We can take heart from the fact that we have shown that there is a clear majority of support for the proposals amongst English and Welsh MPs.”