The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is celebrating its lobbying success. More than half of BVA’s own manifesto recommendations, centring on animal health and welfare, have been written into the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat priorities for the next Parliament.
Following the announcement of the snap General Election, BVA produced a 20-point manifesto of key recommendations covering both Brexit and wider policy issues, which was sent to the UK’s main political parties’ manifesto-writing teams and to BVA’s parliamentary Honorary Associates and Members.
The BVA manifesto is framed under four key areas:
- Securing a successful outcome for animal health and welfare after Brexit
- Safeguarding animal health
- Promoting animal welfare
- Recognising the vital role of veterinary surgeons
The first call of the BVA manifesto for 2017 – for the next Government to guarantee the working rights for non-British EU vets and VNs working and studying in the UK, and for British vets and VNs working in the EU – was comprehensively met in both the Labour and Liberal Democrat manifestos, with the Conservative manifesto stating that they will secure the entitlements of EU nationals in Britain and British nationals in the EU.
The Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats each made at least some commitment to ensuring animal welfare in trade in line with BVA’s second manifesto ask. All three parties made stronger commitments around BVA’s call to ensure the UK continues to be a globally attractive place for research and development (R&D). In total 11 of BVA’s 20 manifesto asks have been met by one or more of the three parties’ manifestos.
A breakdown of the political parties’ manifesto commitments, set against BVA’s manifesto asks, is available at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/newsroom/.
