Green Party Parliamentary candidate for the Isle of Wight, Vix Lowthion, has pledged to fight ‘tooth and nail’ to save the fox hunting ban during a visit to the Island by the South MEP and Green Party’s Animals Spokesperson, Keith Taylor today (Thursday).
Mr Taylor, the vice chair of the European Parliament’s Animal Welfare Intergroup, had been due to launch the Green Party’s Animals Manifesto in Newport as part of the visit, but the event was postponed while national campaigning remains paused as a mark of respect for the victims of the terror attack in Manchester on Monday.
Instead, Vix Lowthion and Mr Taylor hosted a public meeting on animal protection issues and Theresa May’s plans to bring back fox hunting at the Party’s headquarters on St. James’ Street, Newport.
During the meeting, Keith said:
“I am proud to be here today on the Isle of Wight to launch the to talk about the Green Party’s animal protection priorities for putting an end to animal cruelty and exploitation on the Isle of Wight and across the UK.
“We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with animal advocates across Britain and the world. And we need to stand tall now more than ever as we face a challenging future.
“Theresa May has announced that, should the Conservative Party win the general election, we will be subjected to a bloodthirsty campaign to bring back fox hunting.
“After intense lobbying from her friends and colleagues in industry, Theresa May has also taken the unprecedented step of ditching a pledge to end the squalid ivory trade.
Article continues below this advertisement “Coupled with the Party’s steadfast commitment to a cruel, needless and evidence-free badger cull policy, its intention to water down a whole host of farm animal welfare standards, and its broken promises on wild animals in circuses – we could wake to find Britain a much less compassionate country on June the 9th.
“Only a strong Green opposition will fight a united front against this cruelty and fight tooth and nail to end animal suffering.
“Now we just need more Greens to help fight this battle and with Vix, as the Green representative for the Isle of Wight, we can be assured there will be another strong voice for the animals in Westminster”.
Following the meeting, Vix Lowthion led campaigners to St. James Square to collect signatures for the Isle of Wight Against Fox Hunting’s ‘Keep the Ban’ campaign.
Vix said:
“It’s truly an honour to stand for a party that has consistently and unwaveringly defended animals. Compassion for animals is in the Green Party’s DNA.
“Fox hunting is needless and causes tremendous suffering. We must continue to protect the Island’s precious wildlife by ensuring this barbaric practice remains illegal.
“It is unfathomable that the Conservative Party would plot to bring back such a bloodthirsty pursuit that they know 84% of the public oppose.
“As your Green MP, I will fight tooth and nail to ensure we keep the ban in place, but not only that – I will campaign for the ban to be strengthened and and properly enforced”.
