The Government has set out the biggest package of animal welfare reforms in a generation. I support these changes because they are practical, long overdue, and rooted in a simple principle – that how we treat animals reflects who we are as a society. Last week in the House of Commons, I spoke about why this moment matters – the ambition of these reforms and the way they are delivered. Raising animal welfare standards should go hand in hand with supporting farmers, rewarding t

Debate in the House of Commons (18 December 2025) Animal welfare and farming go hand in hand. As the Government prepares to publish its long-awaited animal welfare strategy, I made clear in Parliament that it must support – not hinder – farmers who already operate to the highest standards. Our farming community in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire deserves clarity, confidence and a strategy that works in practice.