This week, the Labour Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) hosted a parliamentary reception with Labour MPs, peers and animal protection advocates to celebrate the government’s new Animal Welfare Strategy and discuss the next steps needed to turn its commitments into real-world change for animals.
The reception reflected a strong sense of momentum, after years of delay, Labour has set out an ambitious programme that has the potential to deliver the biggest boost to animal welfare in a generation. For campaigners and parliamentarians alike, the focus now is on delivery, and on making sure the Strategy’s commitments are implemented swiftly and in full.
Speakers at the reception included Josh Newbury MP, Ruth Jones MP, and Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Sue Hayman), who spoke about the importance of maintaining political momentum and ensuring animal welfare remains a serious priority across government.
LAWS was especially pleased to welcome Baroness Hayman of Ullock in her role as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DEFRA, where she has ministerial responsibility including animal welfare. Her contribution underlined the significance of having strong leadership inside government to drive forward reform, and the opportunities now available to deliver long-overdue improvements for animals.
Speaking on behalf of LAWS, Richard Bissett welcomed the publication of the Strategy as a major step forward and stressed the importance of moving quickly from policy commitments to implementation. He said that many of the reforms are overdue because animal welfare was allowed to drift for years under previous Conservative governments, with commitments repeatedly delayed or left unimplemented, despite strong public support and clear evidence for action. He added that Labour now has a real opportunity to deliver meaningful change and strengthen its proud record on animal welfare.
Priority reforms highlighted at the reception
The reception spotlighted several key areas in the Strategy and LAWS’ recommendations for next steps:
- Ending cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs
LAWS welcomed the Strategy’s commitment to end intensive confinement systems, including enriched cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs. LAWS is calling for the farrowing crates consultation to be launched this year and for the government to lay secondary legislation by the end of 2026 to phase out these systems with a short transition period. - Banning CO2 gassing of pigs
LAWS welcomed the Strategy’s commitment to ban the use of high-concentration CO2 for pig stunning, subject to consultation. LAWS is calling for the government to publish a consultation in 2026 and then amend the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 to phase out the practice within three years. - Delivering manifesto commitments for wild animals
The reception highlighted the need to move quickly on Labour’s commitments to ban trail hunting and ban snare traps, through primary legislation. - Progressing reform on the fur trade
LAWS also welcomed the commitment to establish a working group on fur, alongside publication of the previous government’s fur trade call for evidence results and the Animal Welfare Committee’s forthcoming report. LAWS is calling for these documents to be published in the first half of 2026, for the working group to begin this year, and for government to move toward a full ban on the import and sale of fur. - Other specific reforms in the Strategy
LAWS also welcomed commitments including:- humane slaughter standards for farmed fish
- a close season for hares
- reform of dog breeding to improve health and welfare and tackle puppy farming
- a ban on the live boiling of lobsters
DEFRA consultations, an immediate chance to support delivery
LAWS also encouraged attendees and supporters to engage with the two live DEFRA consultations linked to the Strategy, both of which close on Monday 9 March 2026:
- Cage reform, proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cage-reform-proposed-ban-on-keeping-laying-hens-pullets-and-breeder-layers-in-cages - Lamb welfare, proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/lamb-welfare-proposed-changes-to-castration-and-tail-docking-methods
LAWS emphasised that consultation responses are one of the most practical ways supporters can help strengthen delivery, by building the evidence base ministers and officials rely on when making decisions and defending ambitious reform.
Building on Labour’s legacy
The reception underlined both Labour’s historic role in advancing animal welfare and the scale of the opportunity now in front of the government.
LAWS looks forward to continuing to work with MPs, peers, ministers and the wider animal protection movement to help ensure the Strategy’s commitments are delivered in full, and translated into meaningful improvements for farmed, wild and companion animals.
If you would like to support this work, please consider joining LAWS.
