Now that I have got my Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act through Parliament, I am turning to look at the practice of non-stunned slaughter.

From a purely animal welfare perspective, I do not believe that non-stunned slaughter should be allowed to continue in the UK.

As the name suggests, non-stunned slaughter is where a cut is made in the animal’s throat while the animal is still conscious. It can take several minutes for the animal to bleed out and die.

I am expecting that, as I go further with trying to restrict this practice, I will be accused of many things – perhaps even anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I like to think people will understand that my opposition to non-stunned slaughter has nothing to do with religion – I am looking at this with only animal welfare in mind.

When looking at an issue like non-stun slaughter, it is a case of weighing up competing interests. On the one hand, there is the right to freedom of religion as guaranteed by the Human Rights Act 1998 in the UK. On the other, there is the legal duty to protect animal welfare. It is not the case that one or the other of these ought have total precedence – rather it is about finding the balance between them.

I actually do not think these are two criteria at odds with each other. I believe there is a way to reconcile these two equally important considerations.

There is no getting around the fact that this is an extremely difficult issue and I am very aware there will be strong opposition. However, I would not be working at stopping or restricting the practice domestically if I didn’t feel as strongly as I do that we have a moral duty to animals to reduce their pain and suffering in whatever way we can.

CHRIS LODER

WEST DORSET MP