The RSPCA has urged Cornish MPs to ‘vote with their conscience’ as the Agriculture Bill returns to the House of Commons today (Thursday, October 1).

Last week, the Lords voted through a crucial amendment to the Bill to ban imports of products produced to a lower welfare standard than the UK by a margin of around 100.

But as the Bill returns to the Commons, the RSPCA warns that a failure by MPs to support it could open the doors to products made to standards that are illegal in the UK.

The Government made a manifesto promise to stop lower standard imports when the UK leaves the EU, but they have not as yet enshrined this promise in law.

RSPCA Chief Executive Chris Sherwood said: “The Government must now honour its manifesto promise and back this amendment. If it doesn’t, MPs must vote with their conscience and reflect the strong feelings of the public.

“It’s a choice between protecting the UK’s globally-recognised high farm animal welfare standards or allowing in products like chlorinated chicken and hormone beef, eggs from hens kept in battery cages, and pork from pigs reared in sow stalls.

“With a no deal looking increasingly likely, and the Government desperate to sign trade deals, failure to act now could result in a catastrophic weakening of the hard-won protections for millions of animals in this country and could risk setting back animal welfare for many years ahead,” Mr Sherwood added.

“It would also threaten UK farmers’ livelihoods as they would be at risk of being undercut by imports produced to much lower welfare methods than are allowed in the UK.

“Research shows that 83% of people do not want to see imports of food from abroad that are produced to lower standards and tens of thousands of people have signed our petition pressing the Government to introduce a law to that effect.

“We need MPs to realise how strongly the public feels about this issue.”

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union (NFU) wants to see the role of the recently formed Trade and Agriculture Commission strengthened in the Bill.

The NFU wants Parliament to be provided with independent advice from the Commission ahead of signing each and every trade deal, in order to protect the UK’s high standards.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “It is fantastic that the House of Lords have voted for Lord Curry’s amendment to the Agriculture Bill, which would allow Parliament to be provided with independent advice about the impact every trade deal will have on our food and farming standards. We believe the role of the Trade and Agriculture Commission is crucial to providing proper parliamentary oversight of our future trade policy and it is encouraging to see Peers support this view.

“Last week, the House of Lords reflected the strength of feeling on this issue in the country at large.

“They were right to strengthen the Agriculture Bill to provide better scrutiny of future trade deals. I hope MPs will not ignore this strength of feeling when the Bill returns to the House of Commons.”