Nature & Wildlife, Political | Posted on December 4th, 2024 | return to news
Dorset MP calls for the end of the fur trade in the UK
Liberal Democrat Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, is campaigning for a fur-free Britain.
Vikki Slade, the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has voiced her support for a Parliamentary bill to ban the trading of animal fur in the UK.
The UK introduced the world’s first fur farming ban over 20 years ago. But despite this measure, it is estimated that one million animals’ worth of fur is still imported here annually.
Labour backbencher Ruth Jones introduced a Private Member’s Bill in October that, if it becomes law, would prohibit the import and sale of fur in the country.
Slade joined over 50 cross-party MPs and Peers at a recent event in Parliament, supported by singer-songwriter Will Young, to voice their support for Jones’ bill and call for an end to fur import and sale in Britain.
Slade said: “The vast majority of the British public, much like my constituents, are appalled by the cruelty of the fur trade. With 77 per cent supporting a ban, it’s time for Parliament to reflect this overwhelming support and take decisive action.
“By ending the UK’s role in the fur trade, we can safeguard animals, our health, and our values. That’s why I’m proud to back the bill for a ban on fur imports and sales.”
At the event, organised by the animal protection organisations the Humane Society International/UK and FOUR PAWS UK, attendants were shown footage from a recent HSI/UK investigation on Finnish fur farms which claimed to reveal the cruel conditions in which animals are kept in the fur industry. The investigation claims that animals are kept in tiny wire cages and are later killed by gassing or electrocution at around eight months old.
Singer-songwriter and animal advocate Will Young said in a written statement: “This Labour Government promised to ‘introduce the biggest boost in animal welfare in a generation’ and with [Ruth Jones’] bill there is a real opportunity to deliver on this promise and make a difference to millions of animals.
“I hope to see the Government put its full support behind this bill and make a ban on fur imports and sale one of Labour’s first ambitious improvements for animal protection in this session.”
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