News Release

23rd November 2203

ANIMAL RIGHTS LAWS

Michael Fabricant has welcomed the announcement in the Queen's Speech that there will be tougher laws to control animal rights extremists. "This fulfils the promise made to me a few weeks back by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary" explains Michael. "The legislation will forbid the harassment of two or more people employed by or supplying an organisation, such as Darley Oaks Farm, and will create a new offence of protesting outside people's homes.

"This will give power to the police to intervene when constituents in Yoxall and elsewhere have been intimidated and threatened. This is long overdue and I welcome this.

"However, I am very concerned about the lack of police resources available to enforce the law. Damage to private property is already illegal and yet the police have not been able to prevent attacks on cars and houses - let alone churchyards - by animal rights extremists. This is not a bad reflection on Staffordshire Police: instead, it is a poor reflection on the lack of resources the Government give our police forces.

"The police cannot be everywhere and unless the Government give the police adequate funds to increase the size of the police service, it will be difficult to enforce this new law particularly as recent additional burdens have been put on the police force including exercising the ban on hunting.