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Tan Dhesi, Paul Flynn, and Kerry McCarthy are just a few of the Labour MPs who added their support to Animal Equality’s campaign for a #FoieGrasFreeGB at this year’s party conference.
They were joined by Eastenders stars Lindsey Coulson and Tanya Franks, who added their names to Animal Equality’s 25,000 strong petition calling on Parliament to ban foie gras imports when the UK leaves the EU.
Campaign
The campaign, launched in June by leading international animal protection organization Animal Equality, has already attracted support from Joanna Lumley, Peter Egan, and Steven Berkoff, as well as cross-party support from MPs.
Foie gras is a ‘delicacy’ made from the diseased livers of ducks or geese who have been repeatedly force-fed.
It is illegal to produce foie gras in Britain because of the extreme suffering caused by this brutal process – known as ‘gavage’.
However, Britain still imports nearly 200 tonnes of foie gras from mainland Europe every year for sale in shops such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, and the menus of high-end restaurants.
Minority
A YouGov poll conducted in June 2017 showed only a tiny minority of Brits consumed foie gras in the past 12 months – only seven percent – and an overwhelming majority support an import ban – 77 percent of those who expressed an opinion.
Dr. Toni Shephard, UK Executive Director of Animal Equality, said: “Leaving the EU gives us a unique opportunity to rid Britain of this extraordinarily cruel product. Our national laws rightly declare foie gras production too inhumane to take place on our shores, yet we still allow it to be imported and sold.
“For the sake of the thousands of ducks and geese still suffering on European foie gras farms, this hypocrisy has got to end.”
She added: “Animal Equality has filmed inside more than a dozen foie gras farms in France and Spain and found extreme suffering and death in every single one. We are now asking all British animal lovers to add their name to our petition calling for a #FoieGrasFreeGB.”
Support
These views are shared by some of Britain’s best known animal advocates, including MPs, who are lending their support to Animal Equality’s campaign.
Veteran actor and vegan Peter Egan said: “The cruel and horrible way Foie Gras is produced by literally stuffing a poor duck or goose with grain until its liver becomes diseased and swells to bursting is disgusting to contemplate.
“We banned its production in the UK because it’s cruel.
“Now lets ban the importation of this cruel product. Make the UK Foie Gras Free!”
Chris Williamson, vegan Labour MP, said: “We are a nation of animal lovers and have rightly already banned the production of foie gras on our shores because of the extreme suffering it causes to ducks and geese. If exiting the EU will provide us the opportunity to ban the importation of this cruel product then the Government should do so.”
Caroline Lucas, Green MP, added: “We have rightly already banned the production of foie gras in Britain because of the extreme suffering it causes to ducks and geese. Exiting the EU gives us the opportunity to ban the importation of this cruel product and make Britain foie-gras free – the Government must act now.”
You can sign the petition against foie grashere
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