New Labour and animal rights - now they want to ‘extend social justice to animals'

Here’s a revealing article from the website of a New Labour pressure group called Progress. Animal rights and the future | Magazine | Progress

It is entitled ‘Animal Rights & The Future’, but instead of, say, dismissing the idea of animal rights as a nonsense, and those who promulgate the cause as dangerous lunatics, it goes on to reveal that they’d like to ‘extend social justice to animals’, which includes taking the game birds from our skies, by banning the rearing of game birds for shooting (which, by extension, could be used against the stocking of fish for sport). They would also, it seems, like to take the meat from our plates, too.

But the people behind this aren’t swivel eyed lefties - Progress is chaired by Stephen Twigg. Vice chairs are Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, secretary of state for health; Chris Leslie, director, New Local Government Network; Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, secretary of state for energy & climate change; Baroness Delyth Morgan; and Meg Munn MP. Honorary president is Alan Milburn, the former secretary of state for health and MP for Darlington.

Gesture Politics

. . . and nothing but 'gesture politics' either.

Take a look at the opening paragraph, it tells you all you need to know as to why this topic has become so . . . . . popular?

"MORI polling in 2005 showed that 14% of respondents said that animal welfare was an issue that would be ‘very important' in helping to decide which party they would vote for - up 3% from 2001."

Peter Jacobs said:

. . . and nothing but 'gesture politics' either.

Take a look at the opening paragraph, it tells you all you need to know as to why this topic has become so . . . . . popular?

"MORI polling in 2005 showed that 14% of respondents said that animal welfare was an issue that would be ‘very important' in helping to decide which party they would vote for - up 3% from 2001."

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Yes Peter, very true. I bet if you informed those same politicians that they were about to incur the wrath of a couple of million voters by supporting this lunatic fringe then they might decide to back away from it. Damn quick too!

Well we all now know who we don't vote for later this year.

And I don't trust the Lib Dems either.

Sadly I think the lunatic fringe is becoming the lunatic majority!

I can't see the government backing away from animal welfare as their supporters are far too vocal, most people either don't care because it doesn't affect them or think it 'cool' to support them.

If we aren't careful I can see the day angling is banned, and its going to be by the the type of proposal in the original post not a direct attack!

geoffmaynard said:

Yes Peter, very true. I bet if you informed those same politicians that they were about to incur the wrath of a couple of million voters by supporting this lunatic fringe then they might decide to back away from it. Damn quick too!

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. . . and for that reason, if nothing else, ALL Anglers should be joining the Angling Trust, to make our collective voices heard!

. . . and the Angling Trust should be right in there in the HoC informing some of these daft politicians accordingly.

Trouble is, it's easier to do that, than sort drinking, mugging, r/soles, and general rubbish out

Interesting comments, I have just had a list from the Co-Op who have taken over the Britannia Building Society and the list of ethical things they will not loan or invest in.

So if your a business and are on the list of activities that are "unethical" presumably you have to take your account elsewhere as they will not do business with companies that trade under this list.

I am just waiting to see if Fishing Clubs come under the list or not? One section was are you in the fishing industry? and another was Are you involved in blood sports eg. fox hunting. I was not sure what to reply? Be interesting to see what their reply is.

I know a few people that have money invested in ISA'S in the Co-Op who have already gone and closed their accounts in principle of their stance.

What they'll do is mix it in with Fox Hunting with hounds to confuse things in people minds. The emotional response is all they are looking for.

here are the Greens animal policies

Green Party | Animal protection

says they'll ban bloodsports. Well hunting is 'banned', which leaves shooting, but hey it's 'bloodsports' plural. What else do they have in mind?

All in all, yet more animal rights rubbish dolled up in manistream political language.