John Baron MP: EU prevents animal welfare improvements

MP says British legislation more stringent than other EU members

Leaving the EU would allow Britain to ban the export of live lambs for slaughter to other EU member states. Each year, around 50,000 live lambs and sheep are exported from the UK, spending up to 28 hours in overcrowded lorries and often in sweltering conditions. Despite British attempts to stop this, the European Court has ruled that a ban on live animal export is illegal under EU rules enshrining free movement of goods, and has consequently fined local councils millions of pounds for trying to improve animal welfare.

John said,

“Animal welfare is very important, and Britain has some of the most stringent legislation in the EU to prevent unnecessary and avoidable suffering to our livestock. Unfortunately some EU members do not take the same approach, but EU laws prevent us from only exporting to those countries with similar animal welfare arrangements to our own.”

“This is another excellent example of how the EU stops us from applying sensible and reasonable measures, and is one more reason why I will be voting ‘out’ on 23rd June.”