Why am I doing this?

Because I simply do not trust this Government to deliver for animals.

Full statement

They’ve already u-turned on banning animal trophy imports, abandoned plans to ban foie gras imports, and allowed two more years of badger culling despite manifesto promises suggesting the exact opposite.

Right now, there’s a public consultation underway on banning trail hunting, but I still fear it won’t go far enough. There is still no clarity on whether all of the loopholes and exemptions in the Hunting Act will finally be removed. No clarity on how they will actually ensure the hunting of wild mammals is ended for good. And no clarity whatsoever on when meaningful legislative action will happen.

We cannot afford to sit back, hope for the best, and allow this issue to quietly fade away.

This by-election provides a national platform to raise these concerns, to pressure the Government to finally end hunting as quickly as possible, and to send that message directly to the man who could become the next Prime Minister.