Promisingly Better

It was a promising announcement last week, in the supporting document to the Kings’ Speech to Parliament (‘The King’s Speech 2023’, Prime Minister’s Office and OGL, 7th November 2023): the UK Government intends to ban live exports of certain animals - sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, horses - from Great Britain for slaughter and fattening. Method for delivery is to be the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill. But, as Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) reminded us, in its 7th November 2023 press release welcoming the announcement, ‘In May this year, the Government reneged on its manifesto promise to deliver a live exports ban when it dropped the Kept Animals Bill.’ In one of the press release’s Notes to Editors CIWF provided this expanded information: ‘In May 2023, the Government dropped the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which would have banned live exports for slaughter or fattening from Great Britain, despite the Bill having received cross-party support during previous Commons stages.’ An important context of relevance is provided in the same press release in the CIWF Chief Public Affairs Manager’s words ‘…it is vital that the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill is quickly introduced to Parliament, so it can be passed and implemented well before the next general election.’ The dimension is critical because dissolution of the current UK Parliament must have happened before or on 17th December 2024.

Live animal exports put animals at risk of suffering in various ways. Around the world, sheep are subjected to live export in large numbers. So, it is vital for sheep that live export of them stops everywhere. This year, New Zealand banned live animal exports trade and in Australia a process was started of phasing out live sheep exports by sea. Momentum in banning live exports of sheep, and of all animals, needs to build across the globe, with other countries following suit of early leaders. It is crucial for sheep’s welfare that the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill is passed into law. And time is short. So, while it is promisingly better that the government in UK is promising to ban live animal exports from Great Britain, following breaking of the promise in the past, this time the promise must be kept.