Former Cabinet minister Esther McVey has been accused of “dog whistle” politics over labelling of halal meat.
Tatton MP Ms McVey came under fire from Labour MP David Pinto-Duschinsky over a bill she presented to Parliament to introduce compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat.
“Halal & Kosher meat is already labelled,” Hendon MP Mr Pinto-Duschinsky, who was elected in 2024, messaged on X.
He also stressed that Ms McVey’s comments about stunning of animals were contested, before arguing: “This isn’t about animal welfare.
“It’s about dog whistles that brand minorities & their religious practices as cruel.”
However, former TV presenter Ms McVey hit back strongly accusing the Labour MP of being “ignorant of the facts” and talking “utter garbage” over halal and kosher meat labelling.
“The good news is that if you think it already happens then presumably you will have no problem in agreeing to my Bill to make it ‘compulsory’,” she said.
“Although I suspect logic is as alien to you as the truth,” she added in a swipe.
Labour peer Mike Katz, though, then joined the fray, siding with Mr Pinto-Duschinsky.
“The whole point of kosher food, including meat, is that it’s labelled,” he stressed.
“It’s called a hechsher. Same is true of halal, I’m sure.
“A little research before calling out the practices of religious people wouldn’t hurt...”
In her Ten Minute Motion Bill, Conservative Ms McVey argued for compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat so consumers can make an informed choice when buying products, claiming many were unaware of what type of meat they were purchasing.
“The unique process of halal and kosher meat requires the animal to have its throat slit,” added the ex-Work and Pensions Secretary.
“In the case of halal meat, the animal is often stunned before it is killed, although it might not be, and for the shechita killing for kosher meat, there is no pre-stunning.
“This lack of stunning causes the animal to experience severe pain.”
Animals must be stunned before being killed to make them unconscious and insensitive to pain, except when they are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites for food for Muslims and Jews under UK law.
Ms McVey also stressed that halal meat formed a growing part of the UK’s meat market.
She citied Government figures showing that of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million were slaughtered to produce halal meat.
She did not mention that the Muslim population in England and Wales grew by nearly 1.2 million over a decade to reach 3.87 million in 2021, according to latest Census figures.
MPs rejected a move in 2014, proposed by then Tory MP Philip Davies who is now married to Ms McVey, for the compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said Britain’s religious slaughter rules, dating back to 1933, aim to balance animal welfare with religious rites.
“Our legislation requires that all animals must be stunned before slaughter to make them unconscious and insensitive to pain,” said a spokeswoman.
“The only exception to this is when animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites, for the food of Muslims and Jews.
“The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.”
