A vegan in charge of agriculture? Herod at the nursery gates!
16 September 2015
Updated: Well, not exactly. But the outrage attending Jeremy Corbyn’s appointment of animal welfare campaigner Kerry McCarthy to the shadow DEFRA post betrays a level of panic which defies logic. What is wrong with someone concerned with humane animal husbandry being in charge of those who regulate it? See Maria Chiorando’s “A vegan shadow agriculture minister is a good move for farming” for a sane assessment of this particular episode in the post-Corbyn drama.
The timing is perhaps apt: The picture to the left depicts a cow awaiting her slaughter after a long journey through Europe. To register your objection to this practice, join Compassion in World Farming on 9th October in London: https://www.facebook.com/events/141120356236597/
On Saturday 19 September, another shipment of live animals leaves Ramsgate for a long journey to slaughter in the EU and beyond. The law abiding and effective charity Compassion in World Farming continues to campaign against this cruel and unnecessary trade, which unfortunately has long been upheld on one of the EU central pillars of free movement: see my previous post on this issue.
Hopefully, with McCarthy in the shadow cabinet, some progress can be made in the stalemate between agribusiness and compassion.
Related reading:
- Compassion in World Farming Campaign video
- Live exports from the EU
- Human rights, a reality check
- All about killing badgers
- Hunting, animals and the evolving landscape of rights
- Libel threatens to stifle debate about factory farming
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Highly unlikely and given that Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet – including himself – includes admirers of Islamic fundamentalism, then typing as a vegan I certainly don’t want our movement to be associated with the hard left or their obnoxious friends. Given that the EU does nothing to deter human trafficking, it is hardly surprising that it approves of animal trafficking.
The objective of having Corbyn lead the party is to rebuild the Labour Party. The Tories have a majority of 76, and, hopefully, Corbyn will be able to bloody a few noses prior to 2020.
This is a good appointment.
Personally I welcome the appointment.