Bullfighting shown the red card.
Published Oct 25, 2017
Bull fighting cash from taxpayers’ money may be about to end - after North-East Euro-MP Jonathan Arnott successfully got an EU budget amendment passed. Over the last three years animal lover Mr Arnott has been a consistent campaigner against British taxpayers' money going to support bullfighting in other European countries.
He has now walked into the record books - by being the first UKIP MEP to get a budget amendment passed by the European Parliament.
"I am delighted that this important animal welfare measure has gone through the European Parliament. Whatever you think about bullfighting, it is morally indefensible for British taxpayers' money to be spent supporting it,” said Mr Arnott.
“I remember being taken to a bullfight as part of a school exchange trip when I was a teenager, and I'll never forget the stench of blood or the baying of the crowd, cheering on the death of a defenceless animal. I just hope that this measure is not now watered down by the European Commission."
Three bullfighting amendments written by Mr. Arnott were passed the European Parliament by votes of 385-242, 386-238 and 401-217 respectively.
It is believed to be the first time that a UKIP amendment of any kind has been approved by the full European Parliament, let alone on a Budgetary vote, although previous UKIP amendments have succeeded in committee stages or on changes to the European Parliament's agenda.
The irony of a UKIP proposal being passed in the European Parliament is not lost on Mr. Arnott: "I've joked with some of my colleagues that I might be in trouble with the Party leadership if one of my proposals has actually gone through.
“Seriously though, I am disappointed that my other proposals for 'victimless cuts' to the EU budget have fallen on deaf ears, but it makes a change to be able to actually make some kind of genuine difference out here,” he said.
The amendments state: "Appropriations will not be used to support the breeding or rearing of bulls for bull fighting activities. Takes note of the Commission’s 2015 executability letter on this topic which stated: ‘This amendment modifies the legal provisions of the CAP, in particular Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and is therefore not executable.’ Demands, therefore, that proposals be initiated to change the relevant pieces of legislation to ensure no appropriations are used to support the breeding or rearing of bulls for fighting."
