93% of Labour voters want the Government to fulfil its promise to ban foie gras imports, new poll reveals
A newly released YouGov poll, commissioned by Animal Equality UK, reveals that an overwhelming 93% of Labour voters support the Government’s commitment to banning foie gras imports. In response, campaigners are urging Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to uphold the commitment he made during the 2024 General Election Campaign, and asking him to “not let his supporters and animals down”.
While calls for the Labour Party to follow through on its pledge were high, faith in the Party to deliver were not, with 62% of UK citizens surveyed (excluding the ‘don’t know’ respondents) stating that they did not trust the Government on the issue of animal welfare.
Campaigners are fed up with delays
During the 2024 General Election, Steve Reed publicly condemned the cruelty of foie gras production, calling the process “disgusting” after viewing undercover footage captured by Animal Equality investigators. He then committed to introducing an import ban, declaring “a vote for Labour is a vote for animals”, but campaigners say progress on the matter has been “painfully slow”.
Steve Reed MP made a clear electoral promise to ban this cruelty from our shores, yet the ban remains in limbo, with no real progress in sight. We’ve already seen the previous Government backtrack on a foie gras import ban, and we refuse to let history repeat itself – animals need the Labour Party to stand by its pledge. Failing to deliver swiftly on this ban would be a major own goal, undermining the trust of his party’s own supporters and his local constituents.
Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK
Constituents are speaking out
In Streatham and Croydon North, Reed’s own constituency, constituents have joined in speaking out against his inaction.
Interviewing with representatives from Animal Equality, one local said: “I would like him to ban this because this is awful… I think that he’s [Steve Reed] lying then. Nobody should have voted for him then. If he promised to do it, then I think he should. And animals are something that, you know, they can’t speak for themselves, you know. So, for people to force feed them and then to, to get whatever they want to get from them. It’s awful.”
Another added: “To be honest, if something is animal cruelty, we are against it. They’re forcing some animals to feed something for us, and that’s not good for their health. So, the animal cruelty, I’m not supportive of that. As a human, it’s not a nice thing to do to force any animal to feed.”
One exclaimed: “I don’t like force feeding. Where do they get these ideas?”.
And, when one constituent was asked what she would like Steve Reed MP to do, she said: “To keep his word, and do what he said he was going to do. Simple as that. How can you trust somebody who’s in that position? When people promise you all these things to get their vote, once they get the vote, they’re supposed to, you know, do what they say. Simple as that. Steve, do what you’re supposed to do. And what you promised. That’s it.”
Vegan football club founder urges Steve Reed to deliver
Environmentalist and entrepreneur, Dale Vince, founder and owner of Britain’s first all vegan football club has also taken the opportunity to blast the Government, calling on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs to “make good” on his promise and end the UK’s importation of foie gras.
Force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers swell to the size of a small football has to be the very worst animal abuse imaginable. You have to wonder how such a thing is legal in this day and age. That’s a good question for Steve Reed and for Labour, who promised to make this barbaric practice illegal – during the election campaign. It’s time to make good on that promise and end this particularly nasty form of animal cruelty in the name of food.
Dale Vince, environmentalist and entrepreneur
These comments come as the Government refuses to comment on the promised foie gras ban, after Animal Equality UK and Animal Policy International expressed concern that a Common Veterinary Agreement (without exemptions in place) would make a foie gras ban “impossible”.
The cruel reality of foie gras
Few subjects attract such high levels of disapproval from the British public. A YouGov poll, commissioned by Animal Equality UK in June 2024, surveyed 2189 participants and revealed that 85% of individuals (excluding the ‘don’t know’ responses) were in support of the Government introducing legislation to ban the import of foie gras made by force-feeding.
This strong opposition is rooted in the extreme cruelty of its production. The highly controversial process involves force-feeding millions of ducks and geese until their livers become diseased, swelling up to ten times their natural size. During the ‘gavage’ process, a 15-25cm metal tube is thrust down the birds’ throats, leaving many with raw, bloodied oesophagus wounds.
Hypocritically, although the production of foie gras on UK soil has been banned for decades on the basis of animal welfare concerns, tonnes of this divisive pâté continue to be imported into the UK each year.
A longstanding promise
Animal Equality UK, has been leading the charge on calls for a ban on foie gras imports, running a campaign since 2017. We have garnered the backing of high-profile supporters including Ricky Gervais, Dame Joanna Lumley and Mark Rylance, and have attracted over 300,000 petition signatures. Through more than ten investigations into foie gras farms, we have exposed birds suffering from breathing difficulties, eye infections, and broken wings or beaks. Some were covered in blood, or left dead and rotting.
Labour has said all the right things before. In 2019, the Party included a foie gras import ban in their Animal Welfare Manifesto; in 2020, the Party attempted to enact a ban during the passage of the Agriculture Act 2020, without success; and in 2022, Jim McMahon – then Environment Minister and MP for Oldham West and Royton – said: “Labour will ban foie gras and hunting trophies imports if it takes power, environment boss Jim McMahon pledges”. Ducks and geese cannot wait any longer. This time, Labour must follow through.
Take action
The most impactful action you can take right now is to refuse to eat foie gras and encourage others to follow your lead. With so many delicious cruelty-free alternatives, like chef Alexis Gauthier’s recipe, there’s no excuse to support this heartless industry.
But we can’t stop there. We need to ramp up the pressure. Our goal is to gather 350,000 signatures on our petition. The more of us who speak out, the harder it will be for the Government to deprioritise this life-saving ban.
Together, we can kick this cruelty off our shores for good.
THANK YOU FOR DEFENDING FARMED ANIMALS!
Please help spread the word. Share the petition with your friends and family.
THANK YOU!
Your actions are changing the world for animals everywhere. Thank you again for your support and we’ll keep you informed on any progress we make.
For the animals,
Abigail Penny
Executive Director, Animal Equality UK
Demand the Government bans imports of foie gras made by force-feeding – SIGN NOW!
