Next Thursday, people across the UK will be going out to vote in different elections. To elect leaders for; The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, and council elections in England and Wales. Not much focus is given to animals, wildlife, or the environment, but, let us see what the parties have done in the last five years in regards to; animals, wildlife, and the environment.
The Conservative Government
The currentConservative government has had a few controversial policies regarding animals and wildlife. These policies have been widely condemned, and most seem to be against them. These are the policies of the Conservatives regardinganimalsand wildlife:
. Proposed repealof the Fox Hunting ban. This repeal would have saw fox hunting being once again legalized, in England and Wales. Repealing the Fox Hunting Act of 2004 is deeply unpopular, and the government backed down last year, realizing that they would not have a majority to repeal the law.
. Badger cull. This is another deeply controversial and unpopular policy by the Conservative Party. The Badger Cull saw thousands of Badgers killed, even though the science was against Badgers causing TB. Not only that, but the Badger cull resulted in the most signed government e petition ever.
. Hs2. Or, the proposed and planned High Speed Railway line. This railway line would go right through the countryside, and destroy a huge area of countryside.
. Repeal of the animal welfare codes. The Conservative Party proposed repealing the welfare codes for farm animals. However, the government has since backed down on the proposal to repeal the animal welfare codes.
. With the Liberal Democrats under the coalition, the Conservative Party put proposals forward to sell off England's forests. However, a year later, they backed down on that plan.
. Proposed wild animal circus ban. A proposed ban on wild animals being used in circuses was put forward by the Conservatives three years ago. Last year, Tory backbenchers rejected this when it was voted for in the House of Commons, meaning that wild circuses have not been banned.
. Fracking. The Conservatives have supported and given then go ahead to fracking.
The Labour Party
. Fox Hunting. The Labour Party were the party which outlawed Fox Hunting (to a large extent). The Scottish Labour Party were the first party in the UK to outlaw Fox hunting in 2002. Two years later, in 2004, the Labour UK party at Westminster made Fox Hunting illegal.
To this day, the Labour Party is against Fox hunting.
. Badger Cull. The Labour Party where against the Badger cull. And have vowed to end the ''cruel and inhumane'' Badger cull.
. Wild animals in circuses. The Labour Party supported the governments proposals to end the use of wild animals in circuses. To this day, the Labour party remains against the use of wild animals in circuses.
. Fracking. The Labour Party isn't so clear cut on fracking as the Conservatives. They want 'tougher' regulations, and in Scotland want a say on it. However, they don't seem to have completely ruled fracking out. It seems more of a grey area for Labour.
. HS2. Another grey area for the Labour Party. They were once, seemed, against HS2. However, they now seemed to have changed their minds to support the government.
. The current Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is a vegetarian, and has supported many animal welfare and rights bills.