London, 1st July 2023
Today (Saturday 1st July 2023) Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) has launched its 2024 Manifesto which sets out its key policy recommendations for the Conservative Party to adopt in their 2024 General Election Manifesto.
The Manifesto includes exclusive polling commissioned by Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and carried out by Opinium this month. The polling shows strong public support for political parties who legislate to enhance the lives of animals, and the extent to which the public values animal welfare as a consideration when casting their vote.
In today’s Manifesto, Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation is calling for the Conservative Party to adopt the following key measures into the General Election 2024 Manifesto:
- End live exports for fattening and slaughter. Polling shows over a third (38%) of people think ending live exports is the most, or one of the most, important issues for them.
- Commit to a fixed and fair phase out period of the use of farrowing crates for sows and gilts in the UK. Farrowing crates are small cages which sows are kept in for weeks at a time during their breeding lives. They are so restrictive the sow cannot even turn around or interact with her piglets.
- Commit to a fixed and fair phase out period for enriched cages for laying hens. Although cage-free eggs are increasingly popular with consumers, 35% (some 14 million birds) still live in cages.
- Introduce mandatory animal welfare labelling on all meat products for human consumption. Polling shows two in three (64%) of 2019 Conservative voters would support the introduction of a mandatory animal welfare labelling system.
- Legislate to ensure farmed fish have the equivalent legal protection to that of terrestrial farmed animals. This is particularly important at the time of slaughter – we are calling for all fish to be stunned prior to killing. Despite both being recognised as sentient in UK law, farmed fish do not receive the same protections as terrestrial farmed animals.
New polling released with the Manifesto shows that:
- Two thirds of people (64%) would feel more positively about a political party if they included a strong commitment to animal protection. Strong commitments to animal protection would have a more positive effect on 2019 Labour voters (74%) than 2019 Conservative voters (61%).
- A majority (53%) think the Conservative Government should do more for animals if re-elected.
- Three quarters (75%) of 2019 Conservative voters say that keeping Manifesto promises is the most, or one of the most, important issues for them.
The full Manifesto can be read here.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “In 2019 the Conservatives set out a world leading Manifesto which paved the way for the Action Plan for Animal Welfare and much of the critical legislation which has followed in recent years. Commitments like these are a powerful signal to the electorate that parties take the public’s deep concern for animals seriously. As the voice for animal welfare in the Conservative Party, it is our hope the measures set out in our Manifesto today will be pledged in the upcoming 2024 General Election Manifesto.
“Today’s polling reveals just how highly Britain regards animal welfare as a voting consideration, with more than two-thirds (64%) of those polled feeling more positively about political parties who demonstrate a strong commitment to animals. This translates to significant public support for specific animal welfare policies such as ending live exports for fattening and slaughter and implementing animal welfare labelling.”
Henry Smith, Conservative MP for Crawley and Patron of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We know that the UK is a nation of animal lovers, with policies to advance animal welfare ranking highly in the minds of the electorate when they cast their vote. It is therefore crucial that the Conservative Party pays close attention to the recommendations in today’s publication and ensures the 2024 Manifesto adopts the same compassionate, conservative commitments which have rewarded the Party in recent years.”
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)
