Labour and the Conservatives are competing to demonstrate who cares about animals the most.

And it’s the right thing to do.

While attention at Westminster is focused on Brexit, MPs are keenly aware that their constituents care deeply about animal welfare.

Labour this week launched a major plan to improve the way animals are treated across the UK.

It includes ending the badger cull, banning puppy farming and closing any loopholes which allow fox hunting to continue.

The policy document was launched on the same day that Boris Johnson, the Conservative Foreign Secretary, delivered a major speech about Brexit. This was the first of six speeches, including two from the Prime Minister, to be delivered by senior members of the government about plans to EU.

To some people, it may look odd to talk about animals when the country faces huge challenges such as leaving the EU or fixing the NHS.

Clearly, many animal lovers would disagree.

But focusing on animal welfare also a smart move politically.

Fox hunting
Fox hunting

This is a topic voters care about. MPs say they receive as many letters and e-mails on this subject as on any other.

Some Conservatives believe Tory leader Theresa May’s plan to give a free MPs a free vote on fox hunting - now abandoned - caused them problems in the 2017 general election, partly because many voters just object to fox hunting and partly because it played in to a belief that the Conservative Party is the party of privilege.

And Tory MPs were worried when a story - which wasn’t true - went viral on social media last year claiming they had voted that animals were not sentient and could not feel pain.

It should be noted that Conservatives argue they have actually led the way in improving animal welfare, and accuse Labour of “playing catch-up”.

But there’s certainly a lot in Labour’s plan.

It includes:

* Enshrining the principle of animal sentience in law, to ensure it prevents practices that expose animals to cruel and degrading treatment.

* Strengthening the Hunting Act to close loopholes that allow illegal hunting

* Consulting landlords on giving tenants the default right to keep pets unless there is evidence the animal is causing a nuisance

* Establishing an independent zoo inspectorate to draw up revised standards of animal welfare

* A total ban on imports of Foie Gras, which is produced by force-feeding geese or ducks

* Ending the badger cull. This involves killing badgers in an attempt to reduce the spread of TB to cattle, but there is disagreement about how effective it is

* Requiring motorists to report accidents where an animal has been injured

* Banning live exports of animals for slaughter or fattening and introducing mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses

* Designing post-Brexit farm subsidies to move away from intensive factory farming and bad environmental practices

* Prohibiting the third party sale of puppies and tackling puppy smuggling by reintroducing rabies testing before entry into the UK

* Working with organisations like the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals to help pet-owners on low income get veterinary treatment

* A comprehensive review of animal testing with a view to improving practice, limiting animal suffering and increasing transparency

* Introducing a ‘blue belt’ to protect and enhance the marine environment around the UK and our overseas territories

Hong Kong Custom officials hold a press conference about the ivory tusks they confiscated
Hong Kong Custom officials hold a press conference about the ivory tusks they confiscated

Conservatives, in a response sent to the media, boast that they have already introduced a series of animal welfare reforms.

These include proposed tougher sentences for those who abuse animal, increasing the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years in England and Wales.

The Government also plans to enshrine into law the principle that animals are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering.

They are also introducing mandatory CCTV into slaughterhouses, to ensure standards of treatment are upheld, and proposing a ban on ivory sales to help bring an end to the poaching of elephants.

Conservative MP Julian Knight (Con Solihull) says voters care deeply about animal welfare.

He said: “In terms of emails and letters, you get as much about animal issues as you do about almost any other subject.”

“It’s something that really does resonate very strongly with our constituents.

Julian Knight
Julian Knight

And the MP, who opposes any attempt to bring back fox hunting, says it was a problem for the Tories at the last election.

“It was raised on the doorstep and on hustings. There was the whole perception of class and privilege but also the idea that it was behind the times. Something that should be dead and buried and shouldn’t be raised again.

“I got thousands of emails about fox hunting. More than I’ve had on virtually any other subject.”