Bristol MP’s views ‘verging on the cranky’

People who eat meat should be treated like smokers, and meat itself should be treated like tobacco, with public campaigns to discourage its consumption, suggests Kerry McCarthy, recently appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by the UK’s Labour Party, now led by self-described democratic socialist Jeremy Corbyn.

The comments, made in an interview earlier this year, have resurfaced in recent days and have also angered the British farming industry.

In another embarrassment for the new-look Labour Party Kerry McCarthy, a vegan, provoked public outrage when she called for public advertising campaigns to warn people against eating meat – in a similar way to how graphic messages are included on cigarette packets.

Ms McCarthy said she is “militant” about animal welfare issues and that “in the end, it comes down to not eating meat or dairy”.

The MP for Bristol East has irked the British farming industry with her veganism and vice presidency of the anti-hunting League Against Cruel Sports.

Ms McCarthy told the Post that it was an individual’s choice whether they wanted to eat meat or not.

Ms McCarthy’s comments, which were made before she took up the role, had triggered a backlash from politicians and the farming community.

Asked about the comments by ITV News, Mr Corbyn contradicted the suggestion by encouraging meat-eaters not to change their habits. I personally don’t eat meat and haven’t for a very very long time.

McCarthy admitted that her methods are militant in nature, but she claims the environmental impact of killing animals and eating them has become too harsh on the country, according to the Guardian.

She added: “There will be different viewpoints, there will be violent disagreements, but it’s about trying to listen to the evidence, approach things with an open mind – and I am very much prepared to do that”.

Her appointment to the shadow cabinet by new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has infuriated farmers and countryside groups.

On one hand, we know that the meat industry, although it feeds many mouths, requires a staggering amount of resources, is responsible for a great deal of environmental damage, and is prone to covering up pervasively poor standards of animal welfare. “I would say actually, being a vegan, if anything that means that I care about the welfare of the cows more than some people would”, she said.

The Countryside Alliance has been reported as saying her ideas were “bordering on the cranky”.