A Conservative MP who received thousands of pounds in a donation from a wealthy landowner who took Dartmoor National Park Authority to court has refused to comment on a legal decision that has led to a ban on wild camping in the park.
Last week, the right to wild camp in England and Wales was lost after hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall successfully brought a case against Dartmoor National Park. It was the last place in England where it was possible to wild camp without seeking permission.
Darwall, the owner of the 4,000-acre Blachford Estate on southern Dartmoor, brought the case against the national park authority, arguing that the right to wild camp on the moors never existed.
Anthony Mangnall, MP for Totnes, which is near the national park, has told constituents: “MPs should not and do not comment on legal cases.”
Mangnall registered a £5,000 contribution to his campaign office from Darwall in 2020.
