Vote for Animals

This easy-to-use website examines the animal-friendly credentials of all current MPs, as well as listing party policies. Constituents can also contact their MP directly through the site and ask him or her to support key animal issues.

Simply by typing in a postcode, voters can find out what their MP thinks on various animal issues from hunting and the badger cull, to CCTV in slaughterhouses and animal experiments. They can also see whether their MP is in a safe seat or whether he or she is in a precarious position.

Says Kate Fowler, Head of Campaigns at Animal Aid:

‘This is a unique resource to help constituents make an informed choice when it comes to voting next spring. There are animal-friendly MPs in all parties, and we want to keep those MPs in place. To animals in the wild, on farms, in laboratories and in our homes, it does make a very real difference which MPs are elected. We hope that www.VoteForAnimals.org.uk will encourage the public to consider animals when casting their vote in May.’

Some of the many animal-friendly MPs include:

• Mary Creagh (Lab, Wakefield): a vociferous opponent of the badger cull and the use of wild animals in circuses
• Tracey Crouch (Con, Chatham & Aylesford): one of just a handful of Conservative MPs who oppose the badger cull and support the Hunting Act (to keep hunting illegal)
• Mark Durkan (SDLP, Foyle): supportive of many animal campaigns including ending the use of cats, dogs and wild-caught primates in vivisection
• Roger Godsiff (Lab, Birmingham Hall Green): has spoken out forcefully against the breeding of birds to be shot, and the commodification of farmed animals
• Mike Hancock (Ind, Portsmouth South): outspoken on many animals issues, in particular the suffering inherent in the horse racing industry
• Caroline Lucas (Green, Brighton Pavilion): the Green Party has the best policies for animals, and Caroline regularly campaigns for better treatment of animals
• Kerry McCarthy (Lab, Bristol): one of three vegan MPs, Kerry works to replace animals in laboratories
• Mark Pritchard (Con, The Wrekin): brought forward a parliamentary motion to end the use of wild animals in circuses, despite threats from No 10
• Angela Smith (Lab, Penistone & Stocksbridge): long-time opponent of cruel sports, including hunting and greyhound racing

A recent Ipsos MORI poll found that two of the top ten issues about which MPs are most often approached relate to animal welfare. These were the badger cull and animal experimentation.