This month, we are attending the conferences of the three biggest parties in Westminster, to call on MPs to support policies to improve farmed animal welfare and end factory farming.

Last week we attended the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton, this week we’re at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, and next we will be at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. At all three conferences, we will set out how our asks – including our campaigns to End the Cage Age and to introduce Honest Labelling – can be supported by politicians and decision makers.

As the world leading farmed animal welfare organisation, we will be using our position to call for changes to laws, policies and practices to ensure that the welfare of farmed animals is better protected.

End the Cage Age

Around 8 million farmed animals are caged each year in the UK. This includes millions of laying hens confined to spaces so small they are unable to stretch their wings or display natural behaviours such as foraging. And 60% of mother pigs in the UK are confined to barren farrowing crates, preventing them from being able to turn around or nuzzle their young. We are calling on the Government to publish consultations to phase out cages for egg laying hens and sows.

Honest Labelling

Our recent poll on Honest Labelling shows the vast majority of British consumers want mandatory method of production labelling on meat and dairy products so that they can make purchases that better align with their ethical values. Since method of production labelling has been required for eggs in 2004, the sale of cage-free eggs has increased from just over 30% to almost 80% by 2023. Unfortunately, for all other meat and dairy products, consumers are left largely in the dark. We will engage with politicians and ask that they are urging Defra to act on these figures and publish the long-awaited consultation results so that consumers are given greater clarity on how the meat they purchase is produced.

“The Party Conferences are an excellent opportunity for Compassion to have conversations with politicians and other prominent party members to ensure that improving farmed animal welfare is high on the political agenda,” said our Chief Public Affairs Manager, James West. “It is crucial that the Government pushes forward with publishing it’s consultation on Honest Labelling and takes the next steps to End the Cage Age for egg laying hens and mother pigs.”

Animals Matter

On Monday (23rd September), we hosted an animal welfare fringe event at the Labour Party Conference, with other members of the Animals Matter coalition, RSPCA, Four Paws UK and HSI UK. The event, held in partnership with Labour Animal Welfare Society, gave a platform for experts and senior party figures to speak about what the Government can and should do in the new Parliament to improve the lives of animals in Britain and overseas.

"Animals Matter not just to us in the room but to people up and down the country. What interests people is that commitment to get good animal welfare." Said Adam Jogee, Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme.

"There were a lot of missed opportunities under the last government but now we will be pushing this government on this issue."

Ask for a happier future for hens

Your support is pivotal to the success of all our campaigns. Please email the new Secretary of State for Defra to ask for 100% of UK eggs to be cage free.