Where is the ban on wild animals in circuses?  

Like many people I believe in this day and age there should be no place for using wild animals in circuses.

We in the Labour Party have a proud tradition of championing the protection and welfare of animals. Indeed, we introduced the ground breaking Animal Welfare Act in 2006. An Act which for the first time ever gave domestic animals the protections they deserve.

We also led on the issue of wild animals in circuses, with Jim Fitzpatrick MP, proposing to ban them while a Minister.  However, before we could legislate David Cameron and the Tories took office.

Since then we have witnessed the spectacle of a Tory led Government dithering over whether or not to act and then half-heartedly pursuing a voluntary approach.  This was followed by a personal promise from Cameron that his government would do something and that he was personally sympathetic.  His Government even went as far as publishing a draft Bill that would ban wild animals in circuses by December 2015.

But why are we still waiting? It’s not as though there is a major disagreement on this, after all, the three main parties are all supposed to be in agreement that they want to see the practice of wild animals in circuses ended. Labour certainly believes it’s about time the UK joined the almost 30 other countries that have already passed similar legislation, including Bolivia, Colombia and Panama.

Today, Jim Fitzpatrick MP will present a ten minute rule Bill to the House of Commons calling on the Government to introduce the necessary legislation to end the use of wild animals in circuses. It’s a motion Labour wholeheartedly supports.

Mahatma Gandhi once said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” That is as true today as it was all those years ago. The use of wild animals for the entertainment of humans has no place in a modern society and the sooner the use of them in circuses is banned the better. If this Government won’t legislate the next Labour government will so that we can end this outdated practice.

Angela Smith is the Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs