Political party animals4/1/2023 ![]() “Michael Gove was probably one of the best environment secretaries we’ve ever seen,” said Brummer. The chief executive of May’s Save Me Trust, Anne Brummer, said she previously despaired of the Cameron government but Michael Gove as environment secretary won respect from them and other wildlife NGOs. One of the Kensington voters who booted her out was Queen guitarist Brian May, whose apolitical Common Decency group helped galvanise local opposition. ![]() If that sounds niche, Conservative MP Victoria Borwick lost apparently impregnable Kensington by 20 votes in 2017 in part because of her controversial defence of the ivory trade. Labour has previously proposed a review of further restrictions on whips in horse racing, as well as rights for “decapod crustaceans” to stop lobsters being boiled alive. Labour also wants to close loopholes on stag hunting and consult on jail terms for breaches of the Hunting Act. The party also promised to strengthen the Hunting Act with a “recklessness” clause to prevent trail hunts being used as cover for the illegal hunting of foxes. Labour’s animal welfare manifesto pledges announced this week include £4.5m for a crackdown on wildlife crimes including hare coursing and badger baiting. Such measures are remarkably similar to Labour’s 50-point plan for animal welfare, which shadow environment secretary, Sue Hayman, published earlier this year. The latter is an issue that the latest environment secretary, Theresa Villiers, has supported for years. In fact, Dyer believes the Tories are seeking to outbid Labour on animal rights, with the Conservatives’ “ animal welfare action plan”, announced in October, promising consultations on banning primates as pets, microchipping cats, introducing “the toughest trophy hunting rules in the world” and banning live exports. With the Lib Dems doing well in the polls and Labour being more environmentally conscious, these parties could weaponise animal welfare issues more if they come up again as an issue.” Animal welfare issues are about detoxifying the brand. Hopkins said: “There isn’t hard quantitative evidence to back this up but the Conservatives being pro-foxhunting is a symbol that they might still be the nasty party. ![]() “The Conservatives will still commit themselves to badger culling, but I think you’ll see the Tories move on foxhunting, with more funding for fighting wildlife crime and a ban on live animal exports.”Īccording to Chris Hopkins, head of political research at Savanta ComRes, animal welfare is unlikely to ever feature on pollsters’ metrics when voters are asked about the issues that matter to them, but it may play a more symbolic role in voter decisions, with the Conservative pledge for a vote on foxhunting in 2017 reminding some voters of their old “nasty party” image. “There’s no way the Tories are going to make the same mistake again ,” said Dyer, who is chairing a series of environmental and wildlife hustings in close-fought constituencies, beginning in Richmond on Wednesday with Goldsmith and his Lib Dem challenger Sarah Olney. Dyer joined Symonds there and says she is among an influential new generation of women from within both the animal rights – and Conservative – movement. “I would not underestimate her influence over these issues.” Johnson’s partner has worked for international charity Oceana, championed anti-whaling causes, and made a surprise appearance at this summer’s Birdfair, dubbed “the conservationists’ Glastonbury”. “The Carrie Symonds effect is strong,” said Dyer. If Boris Johnson needed reminding about the hazard of playing to the Tories’ Countryside Alliance heartland, he saw his leadership rival Jeremy Hunt criticised by fellow Tories for supporting the Hunting Act’s repeal during his failed leadership bid.īut Johnson’s attachment to animal rights may be more personal. YouGov polling commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports has found that strengthening the 2004 Hunting Act to prevent the killing of foxes via trail hunting has the support of not only 89% of potential Labour voters but also 68% of Conservatives and 71% of Brexit party supporters. While Extinction Rebellion and the youth climate strikes have turned the climate crisis into a popular priority, the Conservatives hope to harvest this sentiment by championing animals, after former environment secretary Michael Gove demonstrated how animal welfare action such as the ban on all ivory trade were financially painless “easy wins”. Some Tories and animal rights campaigners believe the party’s implicit support for foxhunting cost them seats including Canterbury and Stroud – later the birthplace of Extinction Rebellion. The Conservative party is spooked by the 2017 election, when Theresa May’s pledge to offer MPs a free vote on foxhunting provoked an unexpected backlash.
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