What are political parties pledging for animals?

Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats were the first party in the UK to launch their manifesto, and within their farming and food chapter they made a number of animal welfare commitments, including a focus on farmed animals by committing to a ban on cages for laying hens, and preventing unnecessarily cruel practices on farms. They also committed to tackling the issue of imports of animal products that have been produced to a lower welfare standard overseas, by ensuring that no animal product that would be illegal to produce in the UK could be sold here - such as foie gras.

Conservatives The Conservative Party were next to publish their manifesto, where there was little mention of farmed animals. The Conservatives did however commit to banning the import of hunting trophies and tackling puppy smuggling and livestock worrying.

Green Party The Green Party’s manifesto covered a broad range of animal welfare commitments, including a number of dedicated farmed animal commitments. They pledged that elected Green Party MPs will push for an end to factory farming, including a complete ban on cages and close confinement, ending the deliberate mutilation of farmed animals, and enforcing a limit on stocking density to minimise overcrowding. More broadly, they also said they will seek to create a new Commission on Animal Protection, working to protect companion, wild and farmed animals. Elected Greens will also push for the highest animal protection standards and campaign for an updated Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Labour Prior to Labour’s manifesto being launched, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, committed - via a video shared on socials - to banning the import of foie gras. This set expectations for further farmed animal welfare commitments, however when they launched their manifesto a few days later their animal welfare commitments, similarly to the Conservatives, did not acknowledge farmed animals. Labour did however commit to banning trail hunting, the use of snare traps, and the import of hunting trophies; ending puppy smuggling and farming; phasing out animal testing; and working on measures to eradicate Bovine TB so that they can end the badger cull.

Plaid Cymru On the same day we saw Labour’s manifesto, Plaid Cymru also launched theirs. They committed to introducing a broader approach to tackling bovine TB, and stated that more must be done to tackle dog attacks on livestock.

Reform UK Reform UK launched their “contract” next, and committed to boosting smaller food processors and abattoirs through tax breaks and other incentives, in order to cut transport costs and promote animal welfare. They also committed to “protecting country sports” to support rural jobs and communities.

Scottish National Party (SNP) The SNP published their manifesto, and made no reference to animal protection.

What do we think?

It has been encouraging to see the majority of the political parties make commitments to improving animal welfare, and we really welcome these. However, what is disappointing is the limited number of farmed animal welfare commitments, when we know farmed animals suffer in the billions.

We also know that intensive animal farming is a concern for a majority of the voting population, as polling has shown that 63% of people want the Government to bring in legislation to phase out intensive farming to protect the environment and animals. It feels like a real missed opportunity by some of the political parties to not reflect this more in their manifestos.

At The Humane League UK, we are looking forward to working with whichever party forms the next Government, to drive the changes we need to see for farmed animals.

We want a ban on cages for laying hens, a popular policy with 77% of the public wanting banning cages for farmed animals to be a priority. Enriched cages provide minimal welfare improvements to the battery cages that were banned in 2012, often offering no more space than a sheet of A4 paper. A recent investigation found cages, in the UK, in which hens were living alongside the carcasses of other birds - many believed to have died due to starvation and dehydration as hens in cages do not necessarily have access to food and water. Denmark has already banned all cages for laying hens, and Germany, Czechia and Slovakia are in the process of phasing them out. Scotland have launched their consultation on the phasing out of cages for laying hens, leaving the rest of the UK falling behind. If we want to continue to claim to be a nation of animal lovers, and maintain our status as world leaders on animal welfare, the next Government must take active steps to outlaw cages for laying hens.

We also want legal protections for farmed fish strengthened, particularly at the time of slaughter. Currently farmed fish are not afforded the same legal protections at slaughter as all other land farmed animals, despite there being consensus amongst scientists that fish are sentient beings. Tens of millions of fish are farmed in the UK each year, making them the second most farmed animal, and it is unacceptable that they are not afforded the same legal protections as other farmed animals. Closing this legislative gap needs to be a priority for the next Government.

What can you do?

Members of Parliament have an important platform and a real opportunity to influence UK law and policy so that it positively impacts the lives of the billions of sentient animals on our farms. This power should not be wasted. Whoever your MP is come July 5th, we encourage you to get in contact with them to ask them to represent your voice, and the billions of farmed animals in the UK who do not have a voice, in the House of Commons, and stand up for farmed animals.

Join us to help ensure the next Government takes action for animals.