Friday 21st October 2022
Following the launch of the Conservative Party Leadership Contest yesterday, Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) has invited leadership candidates to pledge their support for animal welfare ahead of the final selection of by the parliamentary party on Monday 24th October.
As a strong voice for animal welfare in the Conservative Party, Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation is urging leadership contenders to support a number of key animal welfare asks. Animal welfare has proven to be a key consideration for UK voters, and CAWF believes this contest presents an important opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their commitment to Manifesto pledges.
Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation is asking all candidates:
- As Prime Minister, would you take forward and continue the Government’s Animal Welfare Action Plan in 2021?
- The Kept Animals Bill, which will bring live exports for fattening and slaughter to an end, is making its way through Parliament, in accordance with a Conservative manifesto commitment. Will you support the Kept Animals Bill to become law?
- Many organisations have called on the Government to maintain commitments not to undermine British farmers in trade deals, in order to ensure British farmers are not undercut by cheap low-welfare foreign goods. Is this an approach you would adopt?
- The Government has committed to consult on the phasing out of cages for hens and sows on British farms in the coming months. Will you allow these consultations to proceed and for legislation to follow?
CAWF is also inviting members of the Conservative Party to ask leadership candidates these questions too through social media with the hashtag #AskAboutAnimals
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “As Conservatives, we believe that care for our farmed animals and the values of conservatism are not mutually exclusive. It is important that our next Prime Minister continues the current animal welfare reforms and delivers on commitments made in the 2019 Conservative Party Manifesto, and subsequent Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
“From ending live exports for fattening and slaughter, to banning trophy hunting imports, we have a plethora of world-leading animal welfare measures in the pipeline which we believe must not be abandoned. We invite all Conservative Party Leadership candidates to pledge their support for these measures which mean a great deal to Conservative voters and the public at large.”
About Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF)
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation was established in 2016 to raise awareness on the lives of billions of animals reared on intensive farms around the world and how this impact upon animal welfare, the environment and people’s health. We want to highlight the action people can take to help advance farm animal welfare.
Animal welfare is an increasing concern amongst the public, who frequently look to Government to take the lead in both maintaining and improving standards.
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation believes it is highly important that the welfare of farm animals is placed at the forefront of the Governments plan for food and farming along with its focus on productivity, competitiveness, and technology.
Media contact: Sophia Stileman (sophia.stileman@conservativeanimalwelfarefoundation.org)
