Irish politician Chris Hazzard has today announced his move to a vegan diet, after being a vegetarian for two years.
The MP informed his Twitter followers by posting a photo of his ‘last’ lunch involving dairy products.
Chris Hazzard’s tweets
The MP for South Down said: “I always liked the idea of eating a veg diet but never thought I had the discipline.
“Then I learnt about the impact of intensified animal agriculture on our planet and a switch went inside my head.
“I’ve felt much healthier so I’d never return to meat based diet.”
Hazzard pointed his followers towards the celebrated documentary Cowspiracy on Netflix as a “good place to start” on the journey to giving up meat.
His announcement was met with a slew of suggestions from vegans on how to cut out dairy products.
Vegan voices in politics
Hazzard is not alone in working in politics with plant-based views.
Bristol-based Labour MP Darren Jones said he is plant-based “for the planet”, as well as Kerry McCarthy who is another MP in Bristol and has been vegan for 25 years.
Chris Williamson, MP for Derby North is a proud vegan too and has even encouraged his constituents to ditch meat.