Labour must distance itself from McCarthy’s anti-meat comments – SNP

Scottish National Party MSP Angus MacDonald has called on Scottish Labour to distance itself from anti-meat comments made by shadow Defra secretary Kerry McCarthy.

In an interview with vegan magazine Viva!life, Miss McCarthy said: “I really believe that meat should be treated in exactly the same way as tobacco, with public campaigns to stop people eating it.”

The SNP said farmers would be “horrified” by Labour’s anti-meat comments, especially coming from a shadow Defra secretary and at a time when many farmers were struggling with low prices.

See also: 14 quotes from shadow Defra secretary Kerry McCarthy

In a letter sent to Labour’s Holyrood environment spokeswoman Sarah Boyack, Mr MacDonald highlighted the importance of the livestock sector to Scotland’s economy. 

“The livestock sector is crucial to Scottish agriculture, accounting for around 60% of output and valued at £1.7bn to our economy each year, with over 28,000 people working on holdings with beef cattle,” wrote Mr MacDonald.
 
“In addition, the sector supports food manufacturing, with turnover from meat industries valued at around £1.2bn per annum and supporting around 6,000 jobs in the Scottish economy. Meat exports from Scotland were worth around £63m to the Scottish economy in 2014.”

He added: “Given that around 85% of agricultural land is naturally constrained, livestock production is the only viable agricultural use in many parts of Scotland, supporting thousands of jobs in remote rural areas.
 
“Scottish Labour must distance themselves from the comments by their frontbench spokesperson and get behind Scottish farmers.”