01-12-2006
Thieme en Ouwehand bij oprichting Britse Partij voor de Dieren
Amsterdam, 1 december 2006 - Marianne Thieme en Esther Ouwehand,
gisteren beëdigd als eerste parlementariërs ter wereld voor een Partij
voor de Dieren (en als eerste volledig vrouwelijke fractie in het
Nederlands parlement), zullen a.s. zondag 3 december de oprichting in
London bijwonen van de Britse Partij voor de Dieren.
Na Duitsland, Frankrijk, België, Spanje, Canada en Australië waar
inmiddels soortgelijke -nog niet in het parlement vertegenwoordigde-
partijen zijn opgericht, zal ook Engeland onderdeel uitmaken van het
wereldwijde beschavingsoffensief dat dieren via politieke
belangenbehartiging letterlijk tot hun recht wil laten komen.
Voorzitter Jasmijn de Boo van de Britse Partij voor de Dieren, was in
2004 kandidaat voor de Nederlandse Partij voor de Dieren bij de
verkiezingen voor het Europees Parlement.
De presentatie van de Britse `Animals Count Party' vindt plaats op
zondag 3 december a.s in de Kensington Town Hall in London.
Hieronder vindt u het persbericht van Animals Count
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Animals Party at Parliament
What are the chances of cows getting voting rights in parliament? In
Holland this is for real. In the UK animals will now also be properly
represented through a new political party, `Animals Count'. The party
launches in London at 12.30, 3^rd December at the Kensington Town
Hall.
Animals Count will be the first UK party ever to put animals at the
top of the political agenda. It will encourage other political parties
to raise the bar as long as they fail to protect the weaker
individuals of our society.
"With half the EC budget going on unnecessary livestock subsidies,
there's never been a better time to re-examine tax payers' money spent
on unsustainable farming methods that are associated with poor animal
welfare and human health," says Animals Count party founder Jasmijn de
Boo, 31, who was a candidate for the Dutch `Party for the Animals' in
the 2004 European Parliament elections. This party won two seats in
the Dutch Parliament on 22 November 2006 in their third elections in
three years.Ms Marianne Thieme (leader) and Ms Esther Ouwehand (no.2),
MPs for the Dutch Party for the Animals will be present at the
inaugural Animals Count meeting on 3^rd December.
Public support for animal welfare is growing fast in Britain. Over 3
million people support animal charities and donations total 500
million pounds. Due to public pressure fox hunting, fur farming and
testing on animals for cosmetics have already been banned in the UK.
This was followed by the enforcement of the new UK and Scottish Animal
Welfare Act in November 2006. The Acts include a statutory duty to
care for animals, higher penalties for animal abuse and grants
extended power to inspectors to seize animals that are suffering or in
danger of suffering (preventive action).
The new Animal Welfare Act is a step in the right direction; however,
millions of animals continue to be exploited every day for food,
consumer products, so-called `sports' or other forms of entertainment,
and as models for human disease. They suffer throughout their lives
crammed in cages without space to perform normal behaviours, become
distressed during transport and are sometimes cruelly killed.
Animals Count intends to field candidates for the 3^rd May 2007 Welsh
Assembly elections, targeting those seats (20) that are chosen by
proportional representation rather than via the `first past the post
system'.
The media are invited to Animal Count's launch at 12.30PM, 3^rd
December at Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8, during
Animal Aid's `Christmas Without Cruelty Fayre'. There will be a press
conference, panel discussion and a picture slideshow. For a media info
pack and interviews please contact: Jasmijn de Boo (Chair), phone: 078
80624310, email: info@animalscount.org, website: www.animalscount.org