Campaigners from animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming visited the offices of the Richmond MP and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today.
The charity called in at the constituency office to press the Prime Minister to pass the Kept Animals Bill and ban live exports.
This was the fifth and final stop on the charity’s Ad Van Tour of the country, to locations of the constituency offices of four Defra Ministers and the PM, demanding an end to the live animal exports trade.
According to the charity, the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto promised to ban live exports for slaughter and fattening.
The Kept Animals Bill, which will see the ban come into effect, was published by the Government in May 2021 but has now been stalled in Parliament for over 15 months.
The group says that during the Conservative Party leadership contest Rishi Sunak said he looked forward to ‘championing’ the Kept Animals Bill.
But they say Defra Ministers and the PM have since failed to deliver and now say this legislation will progress ‘when time allows’.
Compassion has taken the van from Somerset to Suffolk, Nottinghamshire, the Lake District and Yorkshire.
At each stop around the country, the charity handed over a model animal transport lorry filled signatures of over 27,000 people who added their names to a recent petition that demands the Kept Animals Bill passes through Parliament and into law without further delay.
“The Kept Animals Bill has not progressed in Parliament since November 2021 and the Government simply aren’t making it a priority, despite calls from the British public and NGOs, including Compassion in World Farming, to do so,” said James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming.
“By taking our campaign to the doorsteps of those who can advance this Bill, we are making it impossible for them to ignore it any longer.”
“Live exports cause overcrowding, stress, exhaustion, dehydration, hunger and even death. This cruel trade must end.
“Ministers won’t take the Kept Animals Bill back to the House of Commons to secure a British live export ban, so we are making sure their constituents know about it.
“This legislation has cross-party support and is ready for its final stages in the House of Commons. So, what is the Government waiting for?”
A Government spokesperson said: “We are fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitments on animal welfare, including ending the export of live animals, clamping down on puppy smuggling and banning the keeping of primates as pets.
“Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.”
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