[On way to Wentworth Castle to give a talk [13 Nov 2014…]
I believe we have reached a severe crisis point in British politics. In our battle over the last few years to win decent treatment for animals, we have found ourselves up against the very core of what is rotten in Britain. Our parliamentary system is riddled with corruption, dominated by business connections and vested interests, and peopled largely by career politicians. Our Government’s policies are fettered by deals made behind closed doors in which the public have no say; and in fact the public now perceive that their voice makes no difference to the way the country is run. This MUST change because we are already on a slide into a situation where the obscenely rich get richer, and the poor, labelled as scroungers, get poorer. Save-Me has from the beginning, in its efforts to give animals a voice, been non-aligned politically … and we remain so. We believe compassion to both people and animals should be above politics.
We now take the view that our fight is not just for animals, but for Common Decency. To achieve Decency for the future of Britain, we believe the number one priority is to rid this country of the rank unfairness of Privilege, which means the complete removal of the Old Guard Conservatives from power. It means at all costs consigning Cameron and Osborne and the Eton clique to history. It also means reform of parliamentary procedure – for instance removing the whip system which is used to compel MP’s to vote against their conscience and the wishes of their constituents. In the coming election, we will be supporting individual candidates from all the major parties, simply because they have been seen to act with integrity above personal career interests. We will support anyone who supports decency, rather than self-interest, and, of course, the rights and welfare of the creatures with which we share the air we breathe.
So, in the months to come, you will see us, very transparently working to help decent candidates to be elected, with the long-term aim of clearing out corruption and selfishness from Parliament. If we lose this fight, it will be a tragedy for the Poor, the Disabled and the Sick, and will usher in an era in which wild animals will be eradicated, along with anything, human or otherwise, that gets in the way of big business interests.
We support Angela Smith today in the future because she is a rare and shining example of what an MP should be. She works and votes on the basis of what her constituents trust her to do, and her own conscience. Her guiding principles are honesty, decency and compassion. These are the kind of people we need in Government.
Bri