logo
Newport MP hands petition to ban fur imports at No 10

Newport MP hands petition to ban fur imports at No 10

Newport West and Islwyn MP, Ruth Jones, delivered the document with support from animal protection groups and celebrities Will Young and Pete Wicks.
The petition, which gained backing from Humane World for Animals UK, RSPCA, PETA, FOUR PAWS UK and Open Cages, supports Ms Jones's bill set for its second reading on June 13, aiming to halt fur imports into the UK.
Ms Jones said: "If passed into law, my bill would end the UK's complicity in the cruelty of the global fur trade.
"I am delighted today to join #FurFreeBritain campaigners to deliver more than 1.5 million petition signatures to show the Prime Minister how much support there is for this legislation."
Fur farming was banned in the UK over 20 years ago, yet fur worth £30-£40 million is still imported annually.
The bill proposes extending bans on trade from cats, dogs, and seals to include foxes, raccoon dogs, mink, chinchilla, and coyotes.
The bill has substantial public backing, with 77 per cent supporting a fur import ban.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New Zealand is undoing Jacinda Ardern's disastrous energy legacy
New Zealand is undoing Jacinda Ardern's disastrous energy legacy

Spectator

time2 days ago

  • Spectator

New Zealand is undoing Jacinda Ardern's disastrous energy legacy

The centre-right government of New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon voted this week to overturn the previous Jacinda Ardern-led administration's Starmeresque prohibition on new offshore oil and gas exploration. The earlier ban, enacted in 2018, was a major part of Ardern's idealistic plan to shepherd the country of five million into a bright and limitless 'clean, green and sustainable' carbon-free future built on renewables rather than fossil fuel. It also threatened to shut out the nation's lights. At the very least, critics warned at the time, it would likely lead to a future of economic instability – all the more so because any replacement solar, wind and battery storage might not come on track fast enough to make up for dwindling gas fields. Ardern found herself accused of virtue-signalling on a particularly grand scale. That criticism appeared to have been borne out in New Zealand after companies such as the energy supplier Genesis Energy were subsequently forced to import coal – which has higher emissions – and the spectre loomed larger of hitherto unimaginable blackouts in the near term. In May, the national grid operator Transpower said that, as a consequence of the policy, the country's gas fields were dropping much faster than expected, New Zealand was now at risk of experiencing electricity outages as early as 2026. In the meantime, electricity prices have surged by more than 10 per cent. Among the most vocal critics of Ardern's ban was not a member of the conservative opposition National party, but a maverick member of her own cabinet, Shane Jones. Jones, a roly-poly figure with a reputation for breaking ranks with his Labour party on 'woke' issues, subsequently left for a new role as deputy leader of the populist New Zealand First, which has since become a junior coalition party in Luxon's conservative government elected to office in 2023. He now serves as the country's resources minister. The new legislation he helped author was meant to be one of the new government's first items of legislative business, but parliamentary glitches saw it shelved until yesterday's vote. What Jones describes as Ardern's 'unwieldly' environmental vision for the South Sea has drawn obvious comparisons with Sir Keir Starmer's one for the North Sea – but the two situations have their differences. Unlike New Zealand, the UK is connected to an international grid and has access to nuclear power. The Kiwis have none of those advantages. Nevertheless, the binning of Ardern's flagship policy was opposed by all three of New Zealand's opposition parties, in particular Sir Keir's Labour counterparts who first ushered in the 2018 ban. Labour's energy and resources spokeswoman, Megan Woods, said upending the ban was a 'very potent symbol' of a dysfunctional government 'out of touch with ordinary New Zealanders and more intent at doing the bidding of multinational oil and gas companies.' Yet even supporters of the turnaround acknowledge that those companies may be slow to return to a local market whose policies could yet switch again should Labour regain office at next year's general election. In a statement on Thursday, Jones reiterated that the earlier policy had always been 'ill-fated' and had 'exacerbated shortages in our domestic gas supply by obliterating new investment in the exploration and development needed to meet our future gas needs.' New Zealand's volte-face comes amid growing criticism of Keir Starmer's North Sea shutdown, with US President Donald Trump saying this week that Britain was wasting a 'treasure chest' of oil and gas In an earlier interview with this writer in his parliamentary office, Jones said he welcomed the American administration's international influence in putting paid to 'shallow juvenile thinking' around environmental adventurism. 'I'm hoping that Trump's influence will permeate,' he said.

Blackwood councillors 'excluded' from meeting with minister
Blackwood councillors 'excluded' from meeting with minister

South Wales Argus

time2 days ago

  • South Wales Argus

Blackwood councillors 'excluded' from meeting with minister

I have asked Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, if she would be kind enough to contact the minister, as I wrote on June 14 and received no response. If an invite had been received, these could have been asked verbally. The questions are: 1 - I certainly welcome the fact to fund local government to deliver the Connect to Work, and I would be most grateful for a little more information about funding, partnership working with DWP, Housing, Communities and councils to make this a success. 2 - I assume there will be joint action plans between local and central government, so the best can be achieved for all residents. 3 - How will other departments feed into this process, please like Education and Health to ensure we are all joined up? 4 - Do you envisage there will be a different formula used for urban and rural communities, and how will the Senedd be involved, please? 5 - I have long been a supporter of Youth Hubs as a previous peer mentor trying to get clients back to work in South Powys. We involved the voluntary organisations in confidence building and positive outcomes and objectives which many clients appreciated. 6 - The European Social Fund was a lifeline then for many. 7 - Will a plan be developed with private sector organisations and employer engagement plans please? 8 - You will be aware of the Senedd Elections next year, so will these plans be in place prior so we can move forward together, and how will councils be involved please, as we are at the forefront of our communities, and will the scheme differ from England please? Always a pleasure to work in partnership Cllr Kevin Etheridge.

Conservatives defeat Reform to win Wyesham ward by-election
Conservatives defeat Reform to win Wyesham ward by-election

South Wales Argus

time4 days ago

  • South Wales Argus

Conservatives defeat Reform to win Wyesham ward by-election

The South Wales East Senedd Member's defection was unveiled in a shock announcement by party leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show and resulted in acrimonious comments from some of her former colleagues. But the Conservatives are now celebrating after defeating a Reform UK candidate in a by-election for the Wyesham ward on Monmouth Town Council. Ms Jones had previously represented the area on Monmouthshire County Council. It is the second community council by-election in Monmouthshire in a week in which the Conservatives have seen off the challenge from Reform UK with two more by-elections, in separate Monmouthshire villages, to be held over the coming fortnight. Conservative candidate Xavier Turner topped the poll in the election to the volunteer council while Reform's Robert Kavanagh came in last behind independent candidate Jem Lin Jenkins-Jones. The 22-year-old winning candidate said: 'I'm incredibly grateful to the residents of Wyesham for putting their trust in me. I'm ready to work and make sure your voices are heard.' Councillor Richard John, who leads the Conservative opposition group on Monmouthshire County Council, described the new community councillor as a 'breath of fresh air' and said his victory means the county, which voted to remain in the European Union at the 2016 referendum, is still 'Reform free'. 'Reform were confident of winning in Wyesham, a ward previously represented by their Reform MS, so coming last is quite a humiliating defeat,' said Cllr John. 'Residents could clearly see there's no substance behind their soundbites and they don't offer any solutions to the challenges experienced by families in Monmouthshire. Monmouthshire remains a Reform-free zone.' Ms Jones had represented Wyesham on Monmouthshire County Council, as part of the group led by Cllr John and previously current Conservative MS for Monmouthshire Peter Fox, before stepping down at the 2022 council elections. The county council seat was won by independent Emma Bryn, who defeated both Labour and Conservative candidates. During the campaign Ms Jones had posted a photograph of herself with Cllr John and other local Conservative activists and endorsed the Tory candidate as 'a strong local voice'. It is understood Ms Jones hadn't campaigned in her former ward since switching to the Reform party. An X post shared by Laura Anne Jones of her and campaigning with then Conservative colleagues in Wyesham during the July, 2025 by-election campaign. The town council by-election was caused by the resignation of Labour councillor Alice Fletcher. Though town and community councils aren't run on political lines councillors can stand under party banners and Monmouth Town Council has 19 members from five wards which have the same boundaries as the county council wards. Monmouth Town Council has eight independent members, six Labour members and five Conservatives including Cllr Turner. A by-election is due to be held in the Leechpool ward to Portskewett Community Council on Thursday, July 31 with only a Reform UK and a Conservative candidate nominated, while both parties, and two unaffiliated candidates, will contest the Goytre ward election to Goetre Community Council on Thursday, August 7. Any registered voter, aged 16 or over, can vote in council elections and there is no requirement to show voter ID to do so. Result Monmouth Town Council, Wyesham ward by-election JENKINS-JONES Jem Lin Independent: 184 KAVANAGH Robert James Andrew Reform UK: 124 TURNER Xavier John Pierre Local Conservatives: 201 (Elected) Spoilt: 2 Turnout: 30 per cent

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store