Labour on hunting ban offensive

By Alex Stevenson Environment secretary Hilary Benn has written to David Cameron calling on him to change Conservative plans to repeal the fox-hunting ban. The open letter, which challenges the Tories’ intention to give MPs a free vote on the ban, comes on the fifth anniversary of the Hunting Act passing into law. Thousands of […]

Tory donations linked to hunting policy

By politics.co.uk staff David Cameron’s agriculture spokesman received considerable donations from critics of the hunting ban just after attacking it. Nick Herbert received £24,500 from seven different donations, including £1,500 from gun sellers William and Sons, £2,000 from grouse-shooting magnate Michael Cannon and another £2,000 from a 47,000-acre hunting estate in Sutherland, according to research […]

Govt in move to reduce chicken living space

By Jon Ashford Legislation is in the works to decrease the required living space for farming chickens. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is considering adopting new EU legislation resulting in an eight per cent decrease in living space for chickens. Current requirements allow a chicken to be kept in a space […]

Record rise in animal experiments

By Gabriel Huntley The number of experiments on animals rose by 14 per cent in 2008, according to statistics published by the Home Office today. The total number of procedures involving animals in 2008 was just under 3.7m, an increase of 454,000 from the previous year. This represents the biggest proportionate rise in animal experiments […]

Tories may suffer decision to reintroduce hunting

By politics.co.uk The Tories may have to reappraise their views on foxhunting after a poll found most voters were turned off by it. Shadow foreign secretary William Hague appeared to confirm that hunting would be back if the Tories won power again, a position which contradicts previous policy statements. Tory officials had previously assured journalists […]

Animal rights outcry at Euro slaughter decision

By Ian Dunt Animal rights groups have reacted with outrage at a European Union ruling earlier this week protecting Jewish and Muslim methods of slaughtering animals. Jews practise a form of ritual slaughter called shechita, while Muslims practise dhabiha. Neither will have to involve stunning the animal before slaughter under the ruling, a factor many […]

Review: The Face on your Plate

A thoughtful, persuasive text outlining some key reasons for not eating meat, ranging from the personal to the political. The Face on your Plate: The Truth about Food – Jeffrey Masson WW Norton & Company – 16 June 2009 Review by David Roberts In The Face on Your Plate: The Truth about Food, Jeffrey Moussaieff […]

Support grows for ‘dog ID cards’

By Ian Dunt A parliamentary motion calling for the mandatory microchipping of dogs with information about their identity is receiving increased support in parliament. Michael Foster has become the latest MP to support an early day motion which calls for the microchipping “as a means of reducing the huge numbers of strays and. to promote […]

Police to stop monitoring hunts

By politics.co.uk staff Police will stop monitoring illegal hunts in a change of policy that could mark the effective collapse of the hunting ban. New guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said that enforcing the Act was impossible and should not be a priority. Speaking to the Times, Richard Brunstrom, chief constable […]

Parliament backing for amorous pair

By Alex Stevenson Officials have given their backing to mating in the Palace of Westminster – for peregrine falcons, at least. Two of these rare birds of prey have taken up residence somewhere in the airy heights of parliament’s many towers and it is hoped they will soon be using the parliamentary estate as a […]