People in South Thanet will be concerned to see that the government has chosen to drop its Kept Animal Bill.
Voters have been receiving communications from their Tory MP Craig Mackinlay committing to support this legislation and now his government has reneged on its commitment to animal welfare.
In a letter to a new constituent dated 15th May 2023, he spoke about the issue of the export of live animals and said that a: “New law is currently progressing through Parliament to finally end this unnecessary and foul trade.” Now this same bill has been scrapped by his own government.
Craig Mackinlay stood on a platform to ban animal live exports, including from Ramsgate, which is opposed by so many in South Thanet. The failure of his government to press on with this law means such a ban will not now go ahead this side of a General Election, nor will there be powers to crack down on puppy farming and smuggling.
Labour has called for the Kept Animals Bill to be brought back to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity. With the news of the Government failing to deliver their manifesto commitment on the legislation, it is clear once again that people just can’t trust the Tories to deliver on animal welfare.
The United Kingdom is a nation of animal lovers, and the people of South Thanet are no exception.
How can the people of South Thanet credibly believe that Craig Mackinlay’s voice is being heard in parliament when it’s not even being listened to in his own party?
Polly Billington is Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the next General Election
Well said Polly.. it was part of rhe reason people in thanet voted for Brexit to stop live exports from ramsgate.never trust a tory
Yes Barry, it was quite shocking to me that people believed this promise.
They are under no illusion now.
Indeed they are under no illusion that our PPC, Polly Billington is ambivalent about the airport despite its potential environmental and health impacts to the people of Ramsgate and beyond. And that it has been the policy of the CLP to oppose its development as an airport.
It is clear to me that the Labour Party is more interested in being elected than supporting its electorate particularly in Ramsgate. Indeed we have Councillors who enjoy frequent air travel but have Nimby tendencies.
Since socialism has been retired from the Labour Party I am surprised it hasn’t been admonished under the Trades Description Act. Sir Keir Starmer has set himself up as a top class liar. Now our Council is being led by one of the most incompetent and lazy Labour leaders that we have had the misfortune to have had, trust and the Labour Party are no longer synonymous.
Sir Keir is basically Harold Macmilan in trendier trousers.
Ditto that Clare! I was anti live animal exports, and used to protest at the docks, but stopped when the the organisers urged people to vote Leave the EU during the referendum. This was because the organisers believed Mackinlay when he told them the UK could stop Live Animal Exports if we left the EU. He was lying, and I knew it then, and it is so now! Also, Foie Gras, and fur products continue to be imported, which was supposed to be banned too, Duurh!
As far as Polly Billington is concerned, I never vote for people who don’t reply to my emails, especially when I asked what was her position on Manston!
PS. Its quite likely Labour will win the next General Election on the grounds its not Conservative, thats what Blair did before he became a war criminal!
Give it a rest Mr Lewis please. Do you seriously believe what you say. I suggest never trust Labour.
I wii give it a rest when i am voted out of my democratic elected position of a county councillor, until then i will continue to expose the damage the Conservative Party is inflicting on my constituents in Margate. If i upset my opponents so be it. We need a Labour government which includes a local Labour m p
yes – it always comes out in the wash with this lot !
Totally agree on this. Mackinlay is not representative of S.Thanet on so many issues.
Curious though, is IoTN going to showcase parliamentary candidates from other parties?
If they ask
Fair enough Kathy.
Thanks for the reply.
… and that was a Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party.
I’ll definitely be voting tactically for Labou, although they are not socialists enough yet. Apropos whether there will be an airport at the ex-airport site, it doesn’t really matter much at present what the local councillors think about it, as the Secretary of State is the one who will decide. He’s just refused to make solar panels compulsory on all new housing, by the way.
I’ll definitely be voting tactically for Labour although they are not socialists enough yet. Apropos whether there will be an airport at the ex-airport site, it doesn’t really matter much at present what the local councillors think about it, as the Secretary of State is the one who will decide. He’s just refused to make solar panels compulsory on all new housing, by the way.
I’m more of a Plaid Cymru girl myself.
“Not socialist enough YET”? They’re constantly shifting rightwards. SIR Keir has kicked out of the party; Corbyn, R Long Bailey and Diane Abbot so far. Next in the firing line? Probably Angie R. As a Conservative voter, I reckon Labour will win the next election. And create a situation where the voters return the tories in 2029.
You don’t believe Abbot deserved to be kicked out after her disgusting racism???
I read Abbot’s letter and the article she was responding to. Her letter had nothing racist or judeophobic. Her silliness was to write what she did given Starmer’s Macarthyist policy of prohibiting attacks on Israel’s apartheid regime and its apologists.
Diane Abbot’s letter was quite ambiguously phrased, “Pirate Jenny”, but perhaps she didn’t ask anyone to check it for style.
I’m not saying that, Pete. But Starmer’s timing was impeccable: just before the local elections. He’ll use the same tactic again come the next GE.
Who’s Pete? Pirate Jenny?
It is grossly unfair to lump our Tory MP in with criticism of his government over the issue of live animal exports. He has shown on many occasions that he is vehemently opposed to this disgusting, indefensible trade so there can be absolutely no doubt he is just as dismayed and angry at the government’s shocking decision as anyone with compassion for animal welfare. And on the touchy subject of Manston, I wonder when the Labour hopeful will let us know exactly where she stands. Is she, perhaps, like Mr Flip Flop, Keir Starmer,has done on so many issues and both support and oppose the project? We wait with baited breath.
What sensible person would want to live near a cargo airport if they could avoid it?
I think you’d have to be insensible. And if you weren’t, you soon would be.
If Mackinlay’s disgust and opposition to live animal trade equals that for water treatment and supply companies criminal failures his rhetoric is just popularist vote catching – not a principled stand.
Surely, for an airport to be a commercial success, all it needs is customers.
Manston doesn’t have any.
But I would like her to firmly commit to opposing the airport however she can.
Following the meeting with RSP’s CEO and the Photoshopped picture, Ms Billington made it clear that she was not amused by the way advantage had been taken of her.
And it’s “bated breath”, not “baited breath”
It wasn’t Polly Billington who met RSP, it was Dame Nia Griffith. The main picture was 2 photos relevant to the article not a photoshopped image. Amused or not, the visit did take place, wanting to keep it quiet doesn’t change that.
Thank. I noticed (too late) my mistake.
Let’s see now, how does that saying go? Something about people, glasshouses and stones?
On one side we have the one more heave socialists and on the other the one more heave reactionaries.
Both will be disappointed with a future Labour administration,if it ever happens.
To change anything you have to get elected.A first past the post system with 2 big parties means forming a broad coalition and that will disappoint the ideologues writing here.
If we had PR and each vote counted, coalitions would be required and that is difficult for the current party system.
We get not what we deserve but what we allow to exist.If we killed FPTP, coalitions would be an everyday event not an aberration.The 2010 coalition wasn the brilliant but better than subsequent lunacies.
I’d rather that Ms Billington outlined other equally important Labour policies. What about re-nationalization of crucial infrastructure such as energy, water,transport? Revoke the Right to Buy legislation. Train and employ more medics and police.
Crack down on sleaze in Parliament.
Rejoin Europe, at least in some form or another, so that we can benefit from trade, scientific cooperation, travel and tourism.
Oops! It was the shadow SoS who visited Manston, not Ms Billington.
Not unusual for you to get facts wrong (stop reading the Daily Mail!).
I doubt very much whether Andrew reads the Daily Mail.
Andrew- Which article is your link to the Daily Mail on? What was it about?
No-one mentions oxygen-thief Roger Gale who must be the most two-faced MP of the lot.
He publicly states on the web: “Sir Roger Gale MP supports animal welfare commitments for general election” and “He is president of the Conservative Animal Welfare Group.”
Roger has never once appeared at a Ramsgate live animal exports protest despite it being only a couple of miles from his home. That said, Craig Mackinlay has regularly turned up to give his support.
Gale’s only redeeming quality in parliament used to be his ownership of a black labrador, let’s face it he has done nothing else of merit in 40 years in the HofP.
What’s owning a dog got to do with politics?
Andrew- Just found it. Rail strike article.