Introducing: Greens For Animal Protection

Anyone who knows me will know that I have two massive and major political loves that dominate my life. Veganism/animal rights and the Green Party. The Green Party has by far the best animal rights policies of any party which isn't a single issue animal party in the UK. This was a really important factor for me joining the party. Our animal policies include banning all forms of animal testing and putting research into alternatives, banning zoos, opposing the badger cull, banning the sale of fur, banning factory farming, ensuring all companion animals (often called pets) will be microchipped and registered while breeding of such animal monitored, banning all animal circuses, banning whaling and introduce animal rights officers for all local authorities. There's still a lot of work to be done to improve these policies, but there is also only so far we can go before we start to alienate the general public who by large are not abolitionist animal rights activists.

Greens For Animal Protection members at recent Green Party conference in Brighton. Source: http://carolineallengreenlondon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/green-party-calls-for-immediate-end-to.html

I am delighted to announce the formation of Greens For Animal Protection, a group of individuals in the Green Party who care passionately about animal issues. The groups aims include improving the animal rights policies of the Green Party, promoting the animal rights policies of the Green Party, ensuring the Green Party works with animal rights groups and ensuring the Green Party is a part of the animal rights movement. The group is in it's early stages, only forming a few months ago. What the group plans to do has not been decided yet and it will all be decided over the forthcoming months when we hold a few meetings. I'm really excited about this group though, and it has gained a lot of support at the Green Party's recent Autumn conference in Brighton last month. The group also has had a presence at national marches including the national march for badgers and the march against the Tory conference last month where thousands of badger cull protests were involved in the wider anti-Tory march, and is starting to have a presence at vegan fairs around the country.

Green For Animal Protection at the nation badger march. MEP Jean Lambert is directly to the right of the banner

Greens For Animal Protection members and supporters include:

• Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party -  http://www.nataliebennett.co.uk/
• Caroline Allen, Green Party spokesperson for animals and No. 2 on London list for European elections - http://carolineallengreenlondon.blogspot.co.uk/
• Jean Lambert, MEP for London - http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/
• Rupert Read, Norwich councillor and European election lead candidate for Eastern Region - http://rupertsread.blogspot.co.uk/
• Andrew Cooper, Kirklees councillor and European election lead candidate for Yorkshire & Humberside region
• Danny Bates, former convenor of the Green Party animal rights group and European election candidate for London region - http://greendannyb.wordpress.com/
• Ronnie Lee, founder of the Animal Liberation Front - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Lee

So far we have a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/GreensForAnimalProtection and a Twitter account here: https://twitter.com/Greens4Animals . One day we might set up a website or a blog and when that happens I'll hopefully let you all know. Our email is: greensforanimalprotection@gmail.com and phone number: 07703 558724.

If you'd like any speakers from Greens For Animal Protection to come and speak at a meeting please do not hesitate to get in touch via Facebook or Twitter or email or phone.  I'll also give updates on this blog about Greens For Animal Protection activities.