Position of The Main Political Parties and Farmers
Three parties represented in the Welsh Assembly — the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Plaid Cymru — called for Shambo to be destroyed, arguing that he posed a danger to other animals. There are 50 animals within the grounds of the temple, including cattle, water buffalo, and an elephant.
Andrew Dismore, Labour Party Member of Parliament for Hendon, tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons: "That this House expresses concern at the decision of DEFRA inspectors, that Shambo the bull, part of the herd kept at Skanda Vale Hindu temple and monastery must be slaughtered; recognises this to be a matter of utmost importance to the Hindu community, with some 90,000 pilgrims annually visiting Skanda Vale from around the country, who regard such slaughter as an act of desecration; and urges the Government to use its discretion under s34 of the Animal Health Act, 1981, to reprieve Shambo."
David Miliband, the former Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed in his official blog that the matter came under the jurisdiction of the Welsh Assembly, not the House of Commons.
The farming community expressed support for the government's decision to 'destroy' Shambo, citing the 5,220 cattle culled in Wales in 2006, and the 20,000 in the UK in total, as a result of the TB test. The vice president of the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW), said "We have to follow the rules like everybody else and I won't say we don't have sympathy because you know the farmers who've lost cattle do sympathise".
Read more about this topic: Shambo
Famous quotes containing the words position, main, political, parties and/or farmers:
“We say that someone occupies an official position, whereas it is the official position that occupies him.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“If the main timbers in the house are not straight, the smaller timbers will be unsafe; and if the smaller timbers are not straight, the house will fall.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Men conceive themselves as morally superior to those with whom they differ in opinion. A Socialist who thinks that the opinions of Mr. Gladstone on Socialism are unsound and his own sound, is within his rights; but a Socialist who thinks that his opinions are virtuous and Mr. Gladstone’s vicious, violates the first rule of morals and manners in a Democratic country; namely, that you must not treat your political opponent as a moral delinquent.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“We give lovely parties that last through the night,
I dress as a woman and scream with delight,
We wake up at lunch time and find we’re still tight.
What could be duller than that?”
—Noël Coward (1899–1973)
“Our farmers round, well pleased with constant gain,
Like other farmers, flourish and complain.”
—George Crabbe (1754–1832)