Animal welfare campaigners within the Conservative Party are calling on the government to move on from the debate surrounding fox hunting and instead improve standards within the food and farming industry.
Tory campaigner Lorraine Platt told the Plymouth Herald that it was a shame the party had to focus on the issue of repealing the hunting ban, referring to Defra minister Andrea Leadsom's pledge during the Conservative leadership challenge.
"It's unnecessary, it is outmoded, we should leave it in the past," Platt said.
"I hope Andrea Leadsom and I can work together, particularly on farm animal welfare.
"We may not agree on the badger cull and we may not agree on the repeal issue, but I can't see anybody not wanting to see these very basic measures.
"We would like to see live animal exports banned because we believe that animals should be slaughtered as close to home as possible.
"We would like to see labelling so consumers can make an informed choice about whether they are buying meat from an intensively reared system or from a high welfare farm."
Leadsom said a 'proper licensed regime' could be brought in after the lifting of the ban on hunting.
The Lib Dems have already stated they will fight the legislation tooth and nail.
Environment spokesman Baroness Parminter said: "The ban has been proven to work, and has protected our wildlife while allowing rural sports like drag hunting to continue."
Seek reassurances
The veterinary sector called on the UK government to ensure existing animal health and welfare protection standards are 'at least maintained' when the UK eventually leaves the EU.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has said the UK government must ensure existing animal health and welfare, public health, veterinary medicines, workforce, and environmental protection standards are maintained as part of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the European Union.
In the Brexit paper, approved by the BVA Council on 22 September, the association urged the government to seek opportunities to improve standards in accordance with evidence-based risk analysis of animal health, welfare and ethics.
BVA’s Brexit Working Group, chaired by former UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) Alick Simmons, has outlined principles under a number of areas of interest to the veterinary profession.
In terms of animal welfare, the sector emphasises that the unique selling point of "UK plc" post-Brexit should be high animal welfare and food safety standards.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We will ensure the voice of the veterinary profession is heard during any negotiations and discussions, to secure the best possible outcomes for our profession and for animal health and welfare in the UK."
