Animal Welfare Party

History

The party was founded in December 2006 by Jasmijn de Boo, a Dutch national, of Kennington, London, and Shaun Rutherford of Milford Haven, Wales, as Animals Count! The party was registered with the Electoral Commission on 22 January 2007.

In October 2010, Vanessa Hudson was elected as party leader. In 2013, the party changed its name from Animals Count! to the Animal Welfare Party.

In June 2013, Hudson joined leaders from other animal protection parties from across Europe in a meeting in The Hague organised by the Animal Politics Foundation of the Netherlands. At this meeting the animal protection parties of the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Turkey and the UK discussed ways in which they could work together more effectively. Later that month, Hudson announced that the Animal Welfare Party would stand in the London region in the 2014 European Parliament elections. It was one of seven European animal protection parties contesting the 2014 European elections with the aim of returning dedicated representatives for animals to the EU Parliament. This European group of parties became known informally as the EuroAnimal7 and included PvdD of The Netherlands, PACMA of Spain, PAN of Portugal, Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz of Germany, Djurens Parti of Sweden, and Animal Party Cyprus.

In September 2017, the party gained its first elected representative after Alsager Town Councillor Jane Smith defected from the Green Party to the AWP.

In January 2024, the party gained a second representative after Hexham Town Councillor Lee Williscroft-Ferris, who had been elected as an independent, switched to the party.

Ideology

The party's main goal is "a world in which animals are not exploited and are seen and treated as sentient beings". It describes itself as "primarily dedicated to advancing the rights of all non-human animals" and as "modelled on the successful Dutch Party for the Animals". It also postulates left-wing economic policies outside of animal issues; it advocates a 50% tax rate for those earning more than £150,000, an increase of the minimum wage to £10 per hour, and reducing private sector in housing in favor of the public sector.

Electoral history

It initially intended to stand in the Welsh Assembly election in 2007. In the 2008 London Assembly election, de Boo stood in Lambeth and Southwark, receiving 1,828 votes (1.12%). The party sponsored an electoral list of three candidates for the 2009 European Parliament election in the East of England, receiving 13,201 votes (0.8%).

In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the party contested one seat, which it did not win. The party sponsored an electoral list of eight candidates for the 2014 European Parliament election in the London region, receiving 21,092 votes (1.0%). Four AWP candidates contested the 2015 general election, all losing their deposits. They stood in the 2016 London Assembly election, receiving 1% of the vote. They stood four candidates in the 2017 general election and six in the 2019 general election: none were elected. They stood again in the 2021 and 2024 London Assembly elections, receiving 1.7% of the vote both times.

Elections contested

Parliamentary elections

[[2010 United Kingdom general election|General election, 6 May 2010]]

Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

[[2015 United Kingdom general election|General election, 7 May 2015]]

[[2016 Scottish Parliament election|Scottish Parliament election, 5 May 2016]]

[[2017 United Kingdom general election|General election, 8 June 2017]]

[[2019 United Kingdom general election|General election, 12 December 2019]]

[[2021 Scottish Parliament election|Scottish Parliament election, 6 May 2021]]

European Parliament elections

[[2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2009 European elections]]

Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

[[2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2014 European elections]]

[[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2019 European elections]]

References

References

1. Animal Welfare Party website: [https://www.animalwelfareparty.org/about/committee-of-national-officers/ Committee of National Officers]
2. Morini, Marco. (2018). "‘Animals first!’ The rise of animal advocacy parties in the EU: a new party family". Contemporary Politics.
3. Animal Welfare Party website: [https://www.animalwelfareparty.org/vision/ Vision]
4. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6204262.stm "Activists welcome animal rights party"], ''BBC News'', 3 December 2006
5. Electoral Commission: [http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP616l Animal Welfare Party registration] (Reference PP616l)
6. Animal Welfare Party website: [https://www.animalwelfareparty.org/about/ About]
7. Partij voor de Dieren, [http://www.partyfortheanimals.nl/index.php/2013/06/10/worldlog-week-24-2013/ Worldlog week 24 – 2013] {{webarchive. link. (20 April 2014)
8. Animal Welfare Party website: [https://www.animalwelfareparty.org/previous-elections/2014-eu-elections/ 2014 EU Elections]
9. (4 September 2017). "Animal Welfare Party Gains First UK Political Representation After Jane Smith Defects From Green Party". HuffingtonPost.com.
10. (20 January 2024). "Hexham councillor joins AWP, a first in North East". hexham-courant.co.uk.
11. Morini, Marco. (2018). "‘Animals first!’ The rise of animal advocacy parties in the EU: a new party family". Contemporary Politics.
12. (3 December 2006). "New animal rights party launched". BBC News.
13. (28 April 2008). "London elections 2008: More candidates". [[Southwark News]].
14. (11 June 2008). "London Elections: Lambeth & Southwark". BBC News.
15. (2 June 2009). "Party promises voice for animals". BBC News.
16. (7 June 2009). "European Election 2009: East of England". BBC News.
17. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/c37.stm Election 2010 - Islington South & Finsbury], ''BBC News''. Accessed 12 May 2015.
18. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000720 Election 2015 - Ealing Southall], ''BBC News''. Accessed 12 May 2015.
19. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000750 Election 2015 - Holborn & St Pancras], ''BBC News''. Accessed 12 May 2015.
20. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000768 Election 2010 - Kensington], ''BBC News''. Accessed 12 May 2015.
21. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000887 Election 2015 - Putney], ''BBC News''. Accessed 12 May 2015.
22. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_32.stm European Election 2009: East of England], ''BBC News'' Accessed 12 May 2015.
23. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/eu-regions/E15000007 Vote 2014 - London], ''BBC News'' Accessed 12 May 2015.
24. "European Parliamentary elections 23 May 2019 | Lambeth Council".