Colne Valley and Dewsbury MPs back failed attempt to make supermarkets label halal or kosher meat

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney and Dewsbury counterpart Simon Reevell backed plans to change food labelling to reveal whether meat had been killed to meet religious principles.

The pair were among 17 MPs who voted for a change in labels to show whether meat was prepared in accordance with halal or kosher procedures.

The issue has come into the mainstream in recent weeks after it was revealed a number of restaurants used halal meat without informing customers.

Halal meat is defined which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Koran, and the procedure for slaughter involves killing through a precise cutting method.

Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood is drained from the dead animal. During the process, a Muslim dedication or prayer will be recited.

There is debate about elements of halal, such as whether stunning is allowed.

Kosher meat, eaten under Jewish dietary law, has a similar cutting method to kill the animal but other processes differ from the halal system.

Yesterday Conservative MP Philip Davies, who worked at Asda for 12 years, said supermarkets had "spectacularly failed" to make changes in the two years since his previous plans for clearer labelling were knocked back by MPs.

Mr Davies moved a proposal to demand all products containing halal and kosher meat are labelled as such at the point of sale.

The Shipley MP has tabled an amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill, which states this labelling condition should apply at all places where the public are served food.

He told the Commons this would include schools and hospitals, adding he did not want to ban anything and "everybody is a winner" under his proposal.

Introducing his amendment, Mr Davies told MPs: "As a strong believer in freedom of choice, I think one of the fundamental rights of the consumer is to know what they're purchasing.

"And when I spent 12 years before I entered this House working for Asda, some of the supermarkets are reluctant to do anything about it.

"And the reason why, quite simply, is because it's very inconvenient for them to go through the food chain to actually provide the labelling.

"Now, when I was at Asda I was taught we were in business to do what was best for the customer... not what was for our convenience.

"And I'm rather worried that sort of attitude is slipping in some of our supermarket chains.

"It's not about what's most convenient for them. I don't care about that. They should be delivering what their customers want and there's no doubt this is what customers want to see."

Mr Davies noted halal meat or religiously slaughtered meat "might not be my particular choice".

Conservative Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon) questioned if Mr Davies felt it was wrong to concentrate on religious slaughter with his proposal.

He told Mr Davies: "I support further labelling but do you not think it's wrong just to look at religious slaughter in isolation from other
forms of slaughter... indeed labelling on how the animals actually lived in terms of housing, food and the drug consumption that they've had - why are you just picking on religious communities with your amendment?"

Mr Davies replied: "Let me make something clear at the very start - I'm not picking on anybody here. I don't want to ban anything.

"If people want to buy halal meat, religiously slaughtered meat - it might not be my particular choice - it's (Labour) who are into banning
everything they don't happen to like themselves, that is not my style.

"I happen to believe in freedom of choice and I want people to be able to go out and if they want to buy halal meat, religiously slaughtered meat, they should be free to make that choice for themselves.

"However, equally, those people who specifically don't want to buy that meat should also be free to be able to go out and make that particular choice themselves."

Earlier in the Commons, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the UK is working with other European Union countries to examine the best options for compulsory labelling on food.

Mr Davies' amendment was defeated by 281 to 17, majority 264.             

There were 12 Tories who voted for the amendment.

They were: Peter Bone (Wellingborough), Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire), Philip Davies (Shipley), Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley),
James Gray (North Wiltshire), Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey), Jason McCartney (Colne Valley), Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole), Simon Reevell (Dewsbury), Henry Smith (Crawley), Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) and Charles Walker (Broxbourne).

Two Labour MPs Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse) and Kate Hoey (Vauxhall) also backed the amendment.

Independent Lady Sylvia Hermon (North Down) and DUP MPs Ian Paisley (North Antrim), Jim Shannon (Strangford) also backed the amendment.

Conservative MPs David Nuttall (Bury North) and Philip Hollobone (Kettering) acted as tellers for the aye votes.