Concerned citizens descend on Parliament in a bid to ban cruel cages for mother pigs and hens
Over a hundred members of the public descended on Parliament on 21st October to urge their MPs to support a ban on the use of cruel cages for mother pigs and hens. The action, coordinated by UK Voters for Animals and supported by NGOs Animal Equality UK, Open Cages, Animal Rising and The Humane League UK, saw participants ‘greencard’ their MPs – a simple democratic process that allows constituents to enter the Houses of Parliament and request an in-person meeting with their representative on the spot.
Over the course of the day, participants met with 28 MPs and their offices from all major political parties to share their concerns about the suffering caused by caged systems for hens, pigs and other farmed animals, with many more scheduled in the coming weeks. MPs from across the political spectrum – including Labour, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and SNP representatives – met with their constituents to hear why Britain must finally end the use of cages on farms.
There is growing political will to end cages for farmed animals,” said James Özden, a spokesperson for UK Voters for Animals. “From Dumfriesshire to Brighton, this action shows the breadth of people across the country who want an end to the cruel confinement of pigs and hens. The strength of feeling from both the public and MPs could not be clearer: it’s time for the Government to act.
Participants met with a range of influential MPs or their office representatives, including Peter Kyle MP (Secretary of State for Business and Trade & President of the Board of Trade), Layla Moran MP (Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon), David Mundell MP (Conservative, former Cabinet Minister), and several Labour backbenchers who have been vocal on animal welfare issues such as Catherine West MP and Fleur Anderson MP.
For many attendees, the day was their first time directly engaging with Parliament and they were struck by how accessible the process was. “I was amazed by how easy and empowering it was to use my voice for animals,” said Paula Serra Santos, who travelled to Westminster to greencard her MP. “It’s so important that we use the democratic tools we have to speak up for the millions of mother pigs and hens suffering so extremely in cages. While the current food system is far from cruelty-free, ending cages would mark a vital step towards a kinder, fairer future.”
Anastasios Chalas, Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Animal Equality UK, successfully scheduled a meeting with Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay in advance and has another with his own MP in the diary for next week. He said: “Cages and crates deny animals even the most basic freedoms. Britain has always prided itself on being a nation of animal lovers – it’s time for our laws to reflect that. Many MPs are hugely receptive when constituents raise animal welfare issues. I’d encourage anyone who cares about animals to take part in actions like this, they really do make a difference.”
Phasing out ‘enriched’ cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs would mark a major step forward for animal welfare and align the UK with international best practice.
- Over seven million hens and more than 200,000 pigs suffer in cages and crates every year.
- 94% of the British public opposes cages for hens, and 96% opposes farrowing crates for pigs.
- 82% of eggs sold in Britain are already cage-free, and all major supermarkets have committed to going fully cage-free.
- The National Pig Association has publicly supported a transition away from conventional farrowing systems.
Countries including Sweden, Switzerland, Norway and New Zealand have already banned or are phasing-out farrowing crates. With the EU also moving to phase out cages and apply the same standards to imports, campaigners warn that British producers risk being left behind unless the UK acts now.
The groups behind the ‘Mass Lobby Day’ are urging UK Ministers to include a commitment to end the use of cages in DEFRA’s forthcoming Animal Welfare Strategy, which will outline its priorities for animals over the coming years.
The action follows a Westminster Hall Debate in June 2025, where cross-party MPs expressed support for an end to cages and crates. Reflecting on the confinement of pigs in farrowing crates, independent MP for Dewsbury & Batley, Iqbal Mohamed, said: “In that practice, the pig is reduced to a machine, treated as an object for the benefit of the food industry. That is a moral failing. The farrowing crate is not an unfortunate glitch in a mostly humane system; it is the system itself, and it is built on a trade-off we can no longer accept. What are we waiting for?”
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