Labour plans to ‘ban boiling lobsters alive’ in special Animal Welfare Manifesto

Labour's new proposals would ban boiling lobsters alive and outlaw animal testing for good
Owen Humphreys/PA
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The Labour Party would recognise lobsters as animals and stop them being boiled alive, ban “cruel and indefensible” trophy hunting imports and eradicate animal testing for good under radical new plans for animal welfare laws.

Labour’s Animal Welfare Manifesto, launched on Wednesday, proposes a number of major overhauls to British protections for animals.

Its objectives include ending the use of cages on British farms by 2025, reviewing the use of whips by jockeys and banning people from owning pet monkeys.

Announcing the manifesto, shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said that by “consulting with members and animal rights organisations” Labour’s measures aimed to “bring Britain’s animal welfare policy into the 21st century”.

The manifesto pledges to phase out animal testing entirely and impose longer sentences on people guilty of animal cruelty
Fredrik Öhlander/Unsplash

She wrote: "From bringing forward the landmark Hunting Act to protecting the treatment of domestic animals under the Animal Welfare Act, Labour has always placed the welfare of animals high on the policy agenda.

“Labour will ensure that we have a comprehensive legislative agenda in place to make sure that the UK has animal rights protections equal to or better than anywhere in the world.”

The 50-point manifesto includes measures to “tackle puppy smuggling”, a proposed ban on foie gras imports, and the extension of animal cruelty laws to include wild animals.

It also proposes mandatory microchipping for cats, a ban on “all fur” and an end to electric pulse fishing.

The party said it would also appoint an animal welfare commissioner to ensure welfare standards are part of any new legislation and post-Brexit trade deals.

It also pledged to review the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, “with a long-term objective to phase out animal testing entirely”.

TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham is among those to back the new plans.

He tweeted: “Today @UKLabour announces their Animal Welfare Manifesto which includes developing a National Wildlife Crime Strategy, making illegal hunting and all wildlife crime a reportable offence, banning trophy hunting imports and more.”

It comes after the Boris Johnson's partner, the environmental campaigner Carrie Symonds, publicly condemned trophy hunting as “cruel, sick, and cowardly".

The Conservative government has outlawed ivory sales but stopped short of banning trophy hunting imports.

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