No religious exemptions to the highest of standards.

We need clear, concise and truthful labelling of all produce on sale in supermarkets and shops so that people can make informed choices about what to buy. All religiously slaughtered meat on sale in the UK should be labelled as such regardless of where it came from. Labelling that clearly shows the whole-of-life process and methods used in slaughter so that people can make an informed choice about what to support.. There is no argument.

We have laws to govern the best possible treatment of animals during slaughter, laws that have developed over time in conjunction with many concerned groups. These laws have evolved and advanced through study and collaboration and we should be leading the way in animal welfare throughout the modern world. ( Amongst others, the BVA, Compassion in World Farming, RSPCA, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and FAWC all support a ban on non-stun slaughter ). We should be practicing the highest of standards when it comes to animal husbandry, welfare and managing the end of life process. There should be no room for religious exemptions and loop-holes like #RecoverableStun. There is always room for improvement and the only way to ensure that animals don't suffer is to not eat meat.

It is important that we employ the best practice during animal slaughter to minimise the stress and
distress caused and the modern consensus is that non-recoverable, pre-stunning should be part of that best practice. There are some groups however, who insist on bypassing these laws, claiming their right to religious freedom. Mumbo-Jumbo has no place in best practices.

The only way to ensure that animal welfare is as high as possible is to enforce the highest of standards across the board and label the products with a standard mark that people can trust. Religious slaughter of previously stunned animals causes no problem as long as it is labelled as such and people have the ability to make an informed choice. If you look at the numbers involved, Halal meat is not the biggest problem, Kosher meat within the market is mostly non-stunned or minimal stun/recoverable stun and a lot of the slaughtered animal is wasted due to religious restrictions on what can be eaten. This is then sold on without labelling properly. Even standard marks like 'RedTractor' do not prevent this.

The debate is not about picking on certain religious groups, it is about best practice, labelling, and respecting the slaughtered animal. There is no excuse for poor levels of animal welfare within the meat industry, we have standards. The idea that shops, supermarkets, restaurants and public outlets are selling religiously slaughtered meat without labelling is a blight on people's ability to make a reasoned choice in the UK. This is not something that should be allowed to happen in a modern, forward thinking country. Backwards practises can only drag us backwards. #moveforward