Pledges: Poverty, Health, Animals
#17 in my Pledges series
The final pledges post, covering some of the remaining topics. This is a big one.
Poverty
I received a huge amount of emails about poverty, benefits, and inequality, often regarding a single category of vulnerable person such as pensioners, or the homeless, or people with disabilities. I’ll group a lot of the answers together.
But first, this example gives an idea of the sentiments in the many emails:
“None of us should be excluded from society just because we don’t have enough money. Yet the UK Government’s own figures show that 14.4 million of us are trying to survive on an income that doesn’t cover even the basic needs we all have in life. And the number of us experiencing poverty - especially deep poverty - is on the rise. Poverty is stealing freedom, dignity, hope and life from people every day.”
1% of the world population own half of the world’s wealth (according to a Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report). That sickens me. We need radical redistribution and greater equality. It's disgraceful that we let this get so bad. The super rich and trans-national corporations need to pay their dues. They're a drain on our resources whilst only profiting themselves.
It's part of why I am radically pro-nationalisation, to cut out the people awarding themselves millions of pounds as a salary while we all struggle. As Greenpeace said recently:
It's like with dentists, I wouldn't go private even if I could afford it. While campaigning I had a broken wisdom tooth and was battling to get NHS treatment.
So yes, we need to tax the rich. There isn't a shortage of money, there's an uneven distribution of it, and a lack of will to do anything to fix it. Force companies to pay the tax they owe. Instead of militarisation and bombing and killing people in other countries which creates hatred and makes arms dealers richer, let's spend that money on what it is meant for: looking after the people in our country. Cooperation, not conflict. We need a fundamental shift in how we look at local and global issues, or we'll get same old, same old. Don't get me wrong, it won't be easy as there are so many obstacles and opponents with vast resources trying to stop change for the better. But we have to try.
Unlike an MP I've had the misfortune to deal with in the past who was a millionaire Tory, I do know what it's like to struggle. I come from a working class background and it's part of my make up. I am self employed whilst also working part time, and even then I rarely make enough to live on.
It's all very well for rich politicians with multiple private pensions (and a cushy MP one, and often then a place in the House of Lords, which is like a further pension of £350 a day if they turn up for 20 minutes), but for normal people trying to get by on just a state pension (or primarily the state pension) whilst the cost of everything shoots through the roof and the rich get richer, it's a disgrace. It's also why income is only part of the equation. We need to tax the super rich. We need to nationalise utilities and transport, so that profits benefit everyone, not just the wealthy shareholders. We need to produce more in the UK rather than rely on imports, and have jobs which give people the income they need. Runaway inflation is the result of inequality, and that's also something to tackle as its knock-on effects make us all worse off.
In the Green Party, we recognise that it doesn’t have to be this way. We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world and the money is there in the economy, but it is unequally distributed. Food banks, for example, are the result of political choices such as austerity – which Labour, LibDems and Conservatives supported in 2010.
Our social security system is badly broken, all too often designed to humiliate and punish people rather than lift them up. And not having a real living minimum wage contributes towards people being in desperate situations, often choosing between heating and eating. We need a system that lifts everyone up and protects those in need.
In terms of housing and homelessness: I grew up in council houses. At one point we were homeless (me, my mother, my sister, and my dog) and it was social housing that saved us and let me continue going to school. It is totally unacceptable that so many people are living with no security of tenure. We need social homes, whether for free, rented or affordable. Extortionate rents from those wealthy enough to live on passive incomes are not fair or equal. It's why a key part of the focus needs to be on equality and financial security for everyone – not just making the rich richer and the poor poorer. It has been deeply harmful for successive governments to have decimated our social housing stock at the expense of those who most need help and support. That must change. The failure of successive governments to invest in social housing has contributed to the homelessness crisis. Everyone should have a safe and warm place to call home. Tenants deserve security in their home. We must abolish section 21 powers for landlords, so that people are not evicted from their homes when they are not at fault, requiring landlords to show a good reason to end a tenancy. Greens are committed to real action to end the housing crisis; we are bold enough to say we will end the right to buy and protect much-needed council housing stock. We’re also committed to bringing empty homes back into use.
On a personal level, I campaign to redevelop empty buildings and brownfield sites. They are often in ideal locations and could provide wonderful homes to so many people, rather than sitting empty to boost the portfolio profile of companies and extensive property owners. We also need to look long, long term at human population. Can we work on reducing that pressure over the next century to make it even easier and cheaper for people to have the home – and surrounding land – they need for healthy, rewarding, independent lives?
But that's just me thinking far ahead. There's a crisis now. There are empty buildings. There's no will or financing to reclaim them and turn them into homes. We need to do this. Homes for those who need them, not executive homes far bigger than any human ever needs. (I have a personal interest in the tiny homes movement too, and one day would love to downgrade to a bothy with land around it and far fewer possessions – community and contentment beats acquisition; the book I have been reading recently is "Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World" by Jason Hickel).
The Greens did well in The Equality Trust’s summary:
Age Cymru had some specific requests:
"Make no further rises in State Pension Age" I think it is criminal to change retirement ages for people who are already contributing. It's why I have been supporting WASPI for years. I have been through two tribunals against the DWP and HMRC over my mother's pension due to the many errors they made with her pension that have had a crippling effect on her retirement. It means I really know the unfairness older people have to deal with. People shouldn't have to fight endlessly against callousness, bureaucracy and walls of silence in order to get justice.
"protect physical banking services as well as access to cash" - absolutely. I hate the move towards cashless, people should have a choice, and it should be legally required that people can always access and use cash.
"Compel tech companies and telecommunications service providers to implement more preventative measures to intercept and stop fraud" - yes, but with a caveat. Often they interpret this as forced Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), requiring mobile phones only. I have one elderly relative who lives in a place with no signal, so when they want to do banking they have to go to the top of a hill in all weathers. Another one is confused by phones and codes and scared of trying to log in. So security, yes, but not solely in ways that create digital exclusion. There always have to be non-mobile phone options.
"require all public services and public utilities to make available affordable, easy to access, offline ways of reaching and using them" Yes! And make the bills easier to understand! I have an MSc and still can't make sense of my mother's energy and phone bills.
"Require telecom companies to ensure no one is left without a working telephone or ability to access IT services." The planned removal of landline phones should be reversed. Landline phones work perfectly for emergencies, and never require power. The replacements are going to cause huge problems.
I also received this about Universal Basic Income:
“The UBI Lab Network campaigns for a Universal Basic Income and we are a part of the Basic Income Movement in the UK. We believe that a Universal Basic Income can help create a caring society that is able to properly support families and individuals and provide a ‘safety floor’ for everyone during crises such as Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis and weather extremes due to climate change.
After decades of underinvestment, cities in the north are falling even further behind the south. 30% of all children, that is 4.3 million, are in poverty in 2022/23. This has risen from 3.6m in 2010/11. We should be ashamed. UBI is one of the few policies that stands a chance of eradicating absolute poverty outright.
We believe that we must urgently strengthen our welfare system, so it can keep us safe during a crisis and properly support individuals and families through good times and bad. The creation of a Universal Basic Income – a regular and unconditional cash payment to every person in the UK – could be a big part of the solution.”
The Green Party fully supports UBI: as our full manifesto says:
"In the long term, Green MPs will push for the introduction of a Universal Basic Income that will give everybody the security to start a business, study, train or just live their life in dignity. This major change to our tax and social security system is the work of more than one parliament. In the meantime, we will end benefit sanctions and challenge the punitive approach to welfare claimants, instead recognising that that all of us might need extra support or a safety net at different points in our lives. Elected Greens will take every opportunity to advocate for the most disadvantaged in society."
On a personal note, I have been talking about it for years! For example, I am a full-time author and in the recent post here I ended with a plea for Universal Basic Income.
Some poverty-related policies from various sections of our manifesto (though this topic threads through the whole thing):
Increasing the allocation of funding to primary medical care, with additional annual spending reaching £1.5bn by 2030.
Restoring public health budgets to 2015/16 levels with an immediate annual increase of £1.5bn. Smoking cessation, drug and alcohol treatment and sexual health services all need to be properly funded.
A legal framework that supports the rights of those struggling with their mental health to be respected and to live fulfilling lives.
Increased funding for mental health care, putting it on an equal footing with physical health care and enabling people to access evidence-based mental health therapies within 28 days.
Introduce free personal care along the lines successfully brought in by the Scottish Government, to ensure dignity in old age and for the disabled.
Increase pay rates and introduce a career structure for carers to rebuild the care workforce.
Restore the value of disability benefits, with an immediate uplift of 5%.
Reform intrusive eligibility tests like PIP and the unfair targeting of carers and disabled people on benefits.
Make it mandatory for councils to provide free transport for 16-18 year old pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
A new stable rental tenancy and an end to no-fault evictions so tenants are secure in their homes and don’t have their lives turned upside down on the whim of their landlords. We will also introduce a tenants’ right to demand energy efficiency improvements.
Repeal of current anti-union legislation and its replacement with a positive Charter of Workers’ Rights, with the right to strike at its heart along with a legal obligation for all employers to recognise trade unions.
Increase pay rates and introduce a career structure for carers to rebuild the care workforce.
Increase Universal Credit and legacy benefits by £40 a week.
An increase in the minimum wage to £15 an hour, no matter your age, with the costs to small businesses offset by reducing their National Insurance payments.
In the long term, introduce a universal basic income to give everybody the security to start a business, study, train and live their life in dignity.
Increase annual public subsidies for rail and bus travel to £10bn by the end of the next Parliament, with free bus travel for under-18s.
Invest in an additional £19bn over five years to improve public transport, support electrification and create new cycleways and footpaths.
A maximum 10:1 pay ratio for all private- and public-sector organisations.
Communities to own their own energy sources, ensuring they can use any profit from selling excess energy to reduce their bills or benefit their communities.
Bringing the railways, water companies and the Big 5 retail energy companies into public ownership.
Health
Health was an element of many pledge requests. They were usually related to a particular illness, and initiated by a charity involved in that area.
I was supportive of requests for better support and understanding. It's one of the reasons I wanted to stand, in case I could do good, and try and change things for the better. Workplaces should be more inclusive. We need adjustments, and probably a lot of destigmatising of illness. Developing a more compassionate and supportive society, rather than one purely focussed on competition and greed is a dream of mine.
I also supported research, but the one element I couldn’t support was old-fashioned research that involved torturing, killing and exploiting other animals. I think we should only be using modern advanced methods which are more likely to find workable medicines and have the side benefit of being cruelty free; and also that the for-profit and secretive nature of big pharma would be better replaced with inter-nation state-funded research sharing, with the results and medications made available free to the whole of humanity. A huge chunk of animal testing is "me-too" pharmaceuticals that introduce nothing new, but just allow each pharmaceutical company to boost its profits via unnecessary derivatives. If we cared about human health (let alone the rights of other beings) we would dump vivisection immediately.
Many research charities cut out cruel experiments completely, and I regularly donate to them and promote their work. As someone who also stands for preventing cruelty to other species, I can only endorse effective research which doesn't cause suffering to others.
Unfortunately, many of the charities directly funded vivisection-based research. Since I am anti-speciesism and anti-cruelty, and won’t support research that I think is counter productive to the cause, I had to decline support for some of these requests. As an example regarding Cancer Research UK:
“I completely agree, and there needs to be more research in this area - we've all been affected by cancer. So, Greens would definitely be champions for improved cancer survival (and care) in the next Parliament, and advocate for the next UK Government to back research, as requested.
However, personally I wouldn't back cruel animal research, which is why I have never been able to support charities that fund and champion it, as with Cancer Research UK. I support many research organisations, just ones using modern advanced methods which are more likely to find workable medicines and have the side benefit of being cruelty free.
My personal belief is that if we cared about human health (let alone the rights of other beings) we would dump vivisection immediately. I believe we could have achieved cruelty-free research decades ago with enough will, rather than funding the dead end of the self-perpetuating vivisection industry. I remember way back in 2010 that Cancer Research UK’s annual income was £483million, with £325million spent on research as a whole. An analysis of the CRUK-funded animal research concluded it had been a ‘wasteful and futile quest’ – one that failed to advance the cause of human medicine. 82% of the British public would not knowingly give to a medical research or health charity that funds animal research. It is why many charities that spend money on vivisection make sure they keep the facts as hidden as possible. They also often use money to lobby and to defend their position.
There are numerous non-animal research methods that can provide accurate and relevant data. As such, the Greens would take action to accelerate the uptake of animal-free technologies, and place Britain at the forefront of innovation. We support Herbie’s Law, “a bold step towards a future where animals are no longer used in the name of science, which mandates the replacement of animals in medical research in the UK by 2035, by replacing them with humane, effective alternatives." This is aligned with the policy in our manifesto, which states that: “Greens oppose the importation of monkeys for use in labs, and work towards an outright ban on all animal testing.” Such a move would be a commitment to progress, to compassion and to a brighter future for all.
I fully support the production, promotion and transition to non-animal technologies for use in experiments, as called for by Green Peer, Baroness Natalie Bennett, in March. And I fully support advanced research into cancer, which does not waste money and cause unnecessary suffering to humans and other species.”
Obviously, health has a mental as well as a physical component. I received a lot of emails about mental health and support. Many were personal and affecting, such as this:
“Dear Karl Drinkwater,
I want to see the next UK government prioritise mental health because I have lost 2 nephews to suicide in the last 10 years, and my son has attempted it. They were all told to self-refer, which is ludicrous when someone is suffering from poor mental health. It takes every once of energy and courage to go to the GP in the first place. Luckily for us, my son was living with us and so I was able to get the help he needed. For my nephews, both of which were successful, business men with no money troubles and beautiful families, we were not so lucky. People with mental health issues need immediate help with much improved funding and facilities.
Nationally, nearly 2 million people are waiting for NHS mental health services, and since 2017, the number of young people struggling with their mental health has nearly doubled. Almost half of us are more worried about the mental health of our loved ones now than 10 years ago, and it’s easy to see why. This is simply not good enough. We need a long-term vision for our mental health system.
I’m a proud supporter of Mind’s No Mind Left Behind campaign, which sets out the first steps the next UK government should take to make sure everyone gets the support they need, when they need it.”
Although I said a lot about the NHS in my earlier pledge, I’ve not really covered mental health and also learning/emotional difficulties. I have mental health issues myself (depression and possible ASD, as I mention in a section here), which has twice led to severe episodes in my life, both of which took almost a year to recover from. I did recover, but it means I am all too aware of the need for better mental healthcare.
The Green manifesto had a section on mental health and support:
"Mental health and neurodiversity.
There’s been a dramatic rise in mental health problems in recent years, particularly among young people, with far too many unable to access help when they need it.
Elected Greens will press for:
A legal framework that supports the rights of those struggling with their mental health to be respected and to live fulfilling lives.
Increased funding for mental health care, putting it on an equal footing with physical health care and enabling people to access evidence-based mental health therapies within 28 days.
A trained and paid counsellor in every school and sixth-form college.
Readily available tailored provision to meet the needs of communities of colour, children and adolescents, older people and LGBTIQA+ communities.
Adequate support in the school system for neurodivergent children and children with special educational needs."
It’s critical that the next UK government ensures we’re a country where everybody with a mental health problem gets the support they need, when they need it. That's what the Greens would want to do, and I personally would back it completely.
Animals
I always find this a bizarre heading, as it is normally used to refer to non-humans, as if we are not also animals. Well, we are! Humans are a species of mammal. We are as much an animal as a mouse, whale or cat. It’s only our unchallenged prejudices that lets us deny the basics of our connection to nature, other species, and all life. So, although I will use “animals” to mean non-humans in this section, it is just so that the emails and comments below make sense.
This was an example of an email mainly focussed on wildlife:
“The world’s wildlife is in crisis, and the UK is recognised as one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. Wild animals also suffer in huge numbers across our country through poor management, persecution and exploitation in captivity. Yet these issues have barely featured in the general election debate.
The state of nature, and the welfare of wild animals, are issues which concern me greatly, and the position of candidates in the general election on these issues will influence how I cast my vote.
As my potential representative in Parliament following the election, I’m asking you to prioritise nature and wildlife and the welfare of wild animals, and to support the principles and priorities in Born Free Foundation’s UK Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare Manifesto.
In particular, I am seeking your commitment to:
Prioritise the strengthening of the UK’s nature and wildlife protection legislation, and the development of a coherent plan for nature’s recovery. The ambition to achieve meaningful protection of at least 30% of land by 2030 and increase the abundance of wildlife by 20% by 2042 compared to current levels must be upheld; and all wildlife crimes must be made notifiable and recordable, with the data being regularly evaluated in order to inform enforcement policy.
Call for the Hunting Act to be strengthened for the protection of foxes, deer and hares, to close loopholes and ban trail hunting. The Hunting Act 2004 was designed to ban the hunting of wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales. However, the Act suffers from serious enforcement inadequacies, with many allegations of illegal hunting failing to be thoroughly investigated and far too many perpetrators escaping punishment. The Act also contains exemptions which are being widely exploited by hunts to justify continued hunting activities. The Act should be strengthened to ensure any form of hunting with dogs is prohibited.
Support the introduction of a government bill to ban hunting trophy imports. Trophy hunting can damage the conservation of wild animal populations and causes immense individual animal suffering, while providing little if any benefits for local communities or wildlife authorities. Yet UK-based hunters continue to travel overseas to target hundreds of individuals of often threatened species and bring their trophies home. In spite of repeated promises, the current government has failed to introduce the associated legislation, relying instead on Private Members Bills which have failed to become law. This issue carries a consistently high level of public support and would provide a clear precedent for other countries to follow.
Review and revise the regulation of the trade in and keeping of exotic pets and dangerous wild animals. Most exotic species that are traded and kept as pets are not suited for a life in captivity, resulting in considerable suffering. Some also present significant risks to human, animal and environmental health and safety. Yet the true scale of exotic pet keeping in the UK is unknown, and our legislation is woefully inadequate and outdated. A comprehensive review of the trade is urgently needed, and consideration should be given to the development of a Positive List system based on criteria designed to determine whether welfare needs can be met, whether there are any conservation concerns, and whether the trade presents a risk to humans, other species or the environment.
Phase out the keeping of animals that suffer in zoos, including elephants, big cats, giraffes and polar bears. Zoos are no place for these animals. They suffer as a result of confinement, and inappropriate climate, environment and social groupings. The claims that zoos make for their conservation, education or research value are vastly overstated. High, species-specific welfare standards should be introduced for all zoo animals and made a statutory licencing requirement.
End the culling of badgers in England and focus bovine TB control on cattle-based measures. Since 2013, around 230,000 badgers, a protected species under UK law, have been killed under licence as part of successive governments’ efforts to control the spread of bovine TB in cattle. This could result in the disappearance of badgers from areas they have occupied for millennia. More than 75% of these animals have been killed using ‘controlled shooting’, a method rejected by both the government’s own Independent Expert Panel and the British Veterinary Association because of animal welfare concerns. Contrary to government claims, the most recent independent peer reviewed analysis published in March 2022 found no evidence that badger culling has been successful in reducing bovine TB among cattle herds. The culling of badgers is unscientific, ineffective, inhumane and unnecessary, and should be brought to an immediate and permanent end.
Use the UK's influence to end the cruel treatment of animals overseas. The activity regulations that will give effect to the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act by defining the uses of animals in tourism abroad that will be illegal to advertise or sell in England, should be developed and implemented without further delay. The UK government should also suspend its Free Trade Agreement with the Faroe Islands until it receives a legally binding agreement from the Faroese Government that it will cease all further whale and dolphin hunts on the Islands.
The destruction of the natural world affects us all, and the cruel treatment and suffering of animals have damaging impacts on the well-being of people and the moral health of our society. These issues need to be given a high priority by our future decision-makers.”
I was always pleased to receive emails on topics I fully agreed with! This is indeed an important issue to me, as I am a vegan, and that's because of animal rights concerns (I went vegan in 1990). I've been campaigning on these issues ever since, trying to bring about compassion and understanding where it doesn't currently exist.
Green Party policies around strengthening our nature and wildlife protections are:
Clean water guarantee to stop sewage entering all bathing sites and highly sensitive sites of nature by 2030, with public ownership of water companies
Giving 30% of our land and sea back to nature by 2030, currently only 5% of land in the UK qualifies as being effectively protected for nature
Grants of an additional £3bn annually will be made available to landowners and farmers by the middle of the next parliament to support returning land to nature
We would increase DEFRA’s budget by £1.5 bn to ensure regulations on water quality are enforced and cuts to the funding of National Parks restored
The creation of a new Commission on Animal Protection
Implement highest animal protection standards and update the Animal Welfare Act 2006, alongside renegotiating (or ending) unfair trade deals that undermine UK farming standards
Those convicted of cruelty will be placed on an animal cruelty register and prevented from working with animals again.
The Green Party is fundamentally opposed to all blood sports and would campaign to introduce a ban on all hunting in the first year of a new Parliament. This includes trophy hunting, trail hunting, where dogs are used to track foxes, and the commercial shooting of game birds.
Government subsidies would no longer be given to maintain artificial landscapes designed only for hunting (such as grouse moors).
Greens have consistently called for a ban on trophy hunting and elected Greens will support the introduction of a government bill to ban hunting trophy imports.
Regarding zoo animals, exotic pets and dangerous wild animals, these issues would be dealt with by our newly created Commission on Animal Protection. This Commission would be responsible for overseeing all rules designed to protect animals from cruelty and upholding their rights as sentient beings not to be subjected to undue suffering. I, and the Green Party, are committed to ensuring that the highest standards of animal protection are applied to companion animals, farm animals and wildlife - and that these standards underpin decision making by public bodies too.
Green MPs would introduce a licensing scheme for the ownership of all kept animals and replace outdated breed specific legislation for dogs with an updated dog control law.
We oppose the importation of monkeys for use in labs, and work towards an outright ban on all animal testing. We would also end the use of live animals in military training and support the production, promotion and transition to non-animal technologies for use in experiments.
Green MPs would campaign against badger culling. The cull has no evidence basis and has failed to effectively reduce Bovine TB. Elected Greens would fund research into a sensitive test to enable cattle vaccination as part of a meaningful strategy to control the spread of the disease. We would also invest in better farm biosecurity and badger vaccination.
There were also emails asking me to oppose:
Animal sales: sentient beings aren't property.
Ban live exports: I have protested at live exports many times; I remember the horror of trying to block lorries of calves being sent abroad to be confined for veal production. Back at university I used to show CIWF videos such as Road to Misery, which persuaded an umber of people to go vegetarian or vegan, and to have a greater understanding of animal rights and animal welfare issues.
Trade: “Bans on trading in cruelty, including stopping imports of fur, foie gras and hunting trophies, trading in live animals for food, and adopting core welfare standards in trade.” Greens have consistently called for a ban on trophy hunting and elected Greens will support the introduction of a government bill to ban hunting trophy imports.
Intensive farming: “Use of subsidies to support farmers to transition away from factory farming including cages and crates, and towards food production that is healthier, kinder, and more sustainable.” Factory farming is on the increase, with new US-style ultracruel megafarms being planned and built. All farm animals should be in the most natural conditions possible. No farrowing crates, no indoor confinement (expect in bad weather), no live exports. This is 2024 and so many practices are barbaric. And I'd like to see a culture that gradually shifts to more plant-based food, ideally locally grown, seasonal, with far less reliance on imported food. Until then, all we can do is push for far higher welfare standards, and for people to pay the true cost of what they eat. Note that the RSPCA also emailed me about farming. I have to say that the RSPCA annoyed me when they started profiting from killing animals with their hypocritical Freedom Foods scheme.
Wildlife: “Stronger protections including a complete UK ban on snares and glue traps, updated laws to protect marine animals, tighter laws on zoos and exotic animal keeping and trade and extending maximum sentences for wildlife offences.”
Aquatic animals: “Increased legal protections for fish in existing farms, and suspension of permissions for new salmon farms pending an independent welfare inquiry; addition of decapod crustaceans and cephalopods to the Animal Welfare Act and ending sales of live crustaceans to the public.” Many people have an inbuilt prejudice, and find it difficult to empathise with life forms that look different to us, that communicate and live differently, but that's all it is: prejudice (which leads to discrimination). Every being has a right to exist, to be the final arbiter of what happens to its body, which is the only thing any of us can be said to truly own. Everything else is borrowed.
Shooting: “A ban on the cruel and environmentally harmful industrial production and release of pheasants and partridges for shooting.”
Dogs: “Stronger laws to stop puppy smuggling and a review of the Dangerous Dogs Act to improve public safety and dog welfare through sensible dog control legislation and promotion of responsible dog ownership.”
There were also lots against vivisection. It has already been covered in the health topic, but no being should suffer for the benefit of another. Animal testing is barbaric and outdated, and a prime example of speciesism.
Here’s an example email I received:
Dear Candidate Karl Drinkwater,
It’s time to kick testing on animals out of our homes.
There are many things we can do as individuals to help reduce the amount of animals who suffer in laboratories. For example, buying Leaping Bunny approved brands is the best assurance that a brand is doing everything it can to remove animal testing from its supply chain. Unfortunately, the system for making sure certain things are safe and effective is based on rules that cause animal suffering. It pains me to know that whether I like it or not there are things that I use every day that have been linked to animal testing at some point on their journey to my home. It shouldn’t have to be this way. I want to see a cruelty-free world, and as your constituent I’m urging you to support one in Parliament too.
Please pledge cruelty-free and commit to supporting policies to…
1. Strengthen the ban – Strengthen the cosmetics testing ban by putting the full 1998 ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients into law, so that no government can reverse it in secret
In 2023 the UK government admitted that in 2019 it had secretly abandoned the cosmetics ingredients testing ban which had been in place since 1998. Following legal pressure from a Judicial Review initiated by Cruelty Free International, and the resulting public pressure, the government somewhat reversed their position and announced a partial reinstatement of the ban, but with only roughly 20% of cosmetics ingredients covered the government have not gone far enough. What's more, as this is just policy not law there is no protection against future governments undermining the ban even further.
The government must restore UK leadership in this area by putting the 1998 ban, covering ingredients used both predominantly and exclusively in cosmetics, into law.
2. Make our homes safer – Modernise the testing of chemicals linked to products we use every day
Chemicals are used to make the products we have in our homes, which means that testing on animals is present in our homes too. The system for making sure those chemicals are safe is based on rules that cause animal suffering. Fortunately, innovative non-animal approaches for testing chemicals can be more effective, but more needs to be done by the government, through funding and changes to regulations, to make sure that those cruelty-free techniques are readily available, and that the system is ready to embrace them.
The government must lead the way by setting out concrete steps to build a modern, cruelty-free system for assuring chemicals safety.
3. Deliver a government-led plan to target zero tests on animals – with a Minister dedicated to delivery across government
There is nothing currently in law or policy to purposefully hasten an end to testing on animals, which means that progress is not guaranteed and any we do see is glacial. Based on the barely noticeable decrease in testing on animals observed in recent years, animal experiments are projected to continue for at least the next 90 or so years. The government takes a passive approach, but we need proactive policies and new laws to bring about the ultimate target of zero tests on animals, reaping the benefits of a more modern system sooner rather than later.
The government must deliver an ambitious plan describing how all uses of animals in science will be phased out; with clear milestones, achievable targets, and a government minister dedicated to delivery.
I hope you will hear the voice of your constituents and help to kick testing on animals out of our homes by taking the cruelty-free pledge today.
The Government should absolutely take action to accelerate the uptake of animal-free technologies, and place Britain at the forefront of innovation. Such a move would be a commitment to progress, to compassion and to a brighter future for all.
For more information see AnimalFreeResearchUK, Herbie’s Law, CrueltyFreeInternational, SaferMedicineTrust.
Also this new book: Rat Trap by Pandora Pound. “With devastating logic and clarity, Dr Pandora Pound, Research Director at Safer Medicines Trust, comprehensively dismantles the case for animal research, bringing to an end the 150-year-old debate about its value once and for all.”
Hunting also got a lot of mentions, such as this:
“Dear Karl
The Hunting Act 2004 is an extremely popular piece of legislation, enjoying the support of more than 80% of the public. But it isn’t working as intended. Police chiefs know it, the hunters know it, and the rural communities plagued by illegal hunting know it.
Nearly 20 years after hunting was supposedly banned, up and down the country hunts are exploiting loopholes in the law and continue to chase and kill foxes, hare and deer for fun.
In a recent Channel 4 News exclusive which showed present day footage of hunts flouting the law and committing gross acts of animal cruelty, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead on Hunting Crime, Matt Longman said, “What we’ve got is a law that has a high level of ambiguity within it, and it is without doubt, at times being used by some as a smokescreen to allow them to continue hunting as they said they would 20 years ago. Everybody knows this.”
In a follow up piece, he went on to state that in order to work, “the Hunting Act is going to need reform, to close some of the loopholes that are continually being exploited.”
That’s why I’m writing to you today to ask that if re/elected, you publicly commit to support the strengthening of the Hunting Act, to close the loopholes and to make sure that the law will finally protect British wildlife from the cruelty of hunting with hounds as originally intended.”
Another said:
“Ever since the ban on hunting with hounds was brought into effect, hunts have continued to chase and kill wild animals. Behind the smokescreen of so-called ‘trail’ hunting, hunts have done exactly what they said they would and carried on hunting as if the law didn’t exist.
It’s time for change. It’s time for all policymakers and all political parties to back a real ban.
New polling conducted by FindOutNow, with further analysis by Electoral Calculus, shows that 76% per cent of people in Dwyfor Meirionnydd want the Hunting Act 2004 strengthened. 54% per cent of your potential constituents are more likely to vote for a candidate committed to strengthening the law. I am one of those and so are my friends and family.
Chief Superintendent Matt Longman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on fox hunting crime, is on record as saying that “the Hunting Act is not working effectively, and illegal hunting is still common practice”. He went on to say that “hunts are frequently trailing hunts in natural fox habitats, with hounds trained to locate and kill foxes”.
The police know what's happening. The public increasingly know what’s happening. It’s time to end fox hunting once and for all. It’s time for change. It’s time for hunting laws to be strengthened and for trail hunting to be banned.”
I have already covered this a bit, but I can add a personal view. When I was an undergraduate I was also a hunt saboteur (sab). Ever weekend I was up at the crack of dawn, then out all day trying to foil the blood sports enthusiasts. We often succeeded. But we also saw the ugly reality of hunting. The violence from hunters and their hunt supporters. The way the police would pull our van over before we got anywhere near and arrest one of us just as a form of intimidation. They'd take our friend to the police station and leave them in the cells, then release them with no charge late in the evening, knowing we would have to wait around for hours. (We never left anyone behind!) Just one of the police games of passive intimidation to deter us. I even witnessed police trailing the hunt sabs, then suddenly disappearing when an ambush of hunt supporters with sticks appeared to try and beat us up. It had obviously been prearranged. (I think that one was Cheshire police.) Hunters love to pretend they are about tradition and conservation. They are really about the most base human instincts: violence and sadism. They kill the dogs that aren't aggressive enough, and often encourage foxes so they can have fun killing them in the most drawn-out way possible. I've seen cats and other animals killed by them, people's pets, and they just laughed. The horses would trample over everyone's land, part of the hunters acting as if everything and everyone was below them. Such awful, violent people. Blood sports brings out the worst in people, and have no place in a civilised society. I am fully aware that even after The Hunting Act 2004, hunting still continues illegally. And the police turn a blind eye. So yes, it needs strengthening and enforcing.
I also had an email from the BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) asking me to endorse their manifesto of hunting and shooting. I told them where to go, very politely.
I loved to receive emails like this after I had responded to a pledge request:
“Thank you for replying to my email, you will be getting my vote tomorrow i am very passionate about animal welfare”
And when I replied to one about hunting:
“I was very interested in your response and to be honest I expected a good response from you, I didn’t get a response from anyone else.
The fact your were a Sab and your stories I find particularly interesting. Recently I had to call the Police about a hunt acting illegally on and around our land. A countryside officer (?) came out and he was very attentive etc, but we never heard anything back. Our neighbour (who was closest to the action) filmed them with clearly many more dogs than 2! The hunt supporters hang out on our farm track and we’ve told them to get lost on more than one occasion. I always contact the North Wales Sabs too, but unfortunately, they have never come out to us. It’s the Eryri hunt who are local to us and they are always on foot with a lot of support. They seem to think they can go anywhere and do anything! It is so annoying and it saddens us what they are doing. They're just a bunch of deluded or sadistic (or both) individuals who seem to get away with what they do!
Anyway, I've had a bit of a rant there. Thank you for the reply and everything.”
If you read this far, thank you! A long post. As you can see from all these pledges I have been discussing, there are a lot of emails and topics. Managing the replies was a major challenge in standing as an MP candidate. I faced extra hurdles from someone from the Green Party trying to sabotage my ability to communicate with prospective constituents, but that’s a plot twist for another day!