USE OF THE WHIP IN HORSERACING

Early day motion 1938, tabled 16 June 2011 by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 37 members.

That this House notes that use of the whip in horseracing is increasingly controversial within the industry itself, not least after the winner of the 2011 Grand National was severely beaten in the last part of a race that left the horse so exhausted he needed oxygen; further notes that Towcester racecourse recently announced that it wants to ban the whip except for reasons of safety; is dismayed that the standard whip in use in both Flat and Jump racing caused the wealing of at least 17 horses in 2010; and therefore calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that jockeys are banned from using the whip for encouragement of horses, but areallowed to use a whip only where safety is genuinely an issue, and that any jockey who breaks this rule loses his winnings in addition to being suspended from racing for a period of time.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 2, Alliance 1, Green 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.