Gove hits back after ‘fake’ animal welfare warnings
MICHAEL GOVE said yesterday that animals will have better protection in Britain after we leave the EU following ‘fake news’ internet claims that welfare standards will fall.
The Environment Secretary made the pledge after Tory MPs were accused on social media of voting last week that ‘animals cannot feel pain or emotions’.
Articles claiming animal welfare will suffer after Brexit were retweeted to more than two million followers by celebrities including Ben Fogle, Sue Perkins and Countdown’s Rachel Riley, as well as Green co-leader Caroline Lucas.
But Mr Gove said the welfare of animals would, in fact, be strengthened – for example by stopping the cruel practice of smuggling young puppies into the UK. The social media storm came after MPs voted down a part of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill which rules that animals are sentient.
Yesterday Mr Gove made clear ‘it was not a vote against the idea that animals are sentient and feel pain’. He said the Bill was not the right place to address the issue, and the vote was a rejection of a faulty amendment that would not have protected animals.
Leaving the EU ‘gives us the chance to do much better’ in these areas, he added.
Tory MP Henry Smith, a vegetarian, made the point that EU rules currently do little to stop many cruel practices.
He tweeted: ‘The EU protocol on animals being sentient beings allows bullfighting, veal farming, foie gras production, live exports for slaughter and cruel fur product imports.
Tory MP Zac Goldsmith said claims that animal welfare would worsen were ‘fake news’ and ‘weird and dishonest’.
Last night, Fogle apologised, saying: ‘I have now deleted the misleading threads and welcome the Government’s clear line on animal welfare.’