RACEHORSE WHIPPING

Early day motion 713, tabled 20 January 2015 by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 66 members.

That this House notes that racehorses are routinely beaten with a whip under rules set by the industry's regulatory body, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA); further notes that these rules explicitly sanction this violent treatment in order that jockeys may encourage racehorses to improve their chances of winning, even though evidence indicates that whipping for this purpose is counter-productive; further notes that no other animal can be legally beaten in such circumstances and that a 2014 YouGov poll found that 70 per cent of all respondents oppose racehorses being whipped; recognises that, for genuine purposes of safety where other methods have failed to bring a horse under control, a whip can be legitimately employed, as is the case in Norway; and calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that the BHA's rules are amended to forbid use of the whip for encouragement or for equivalent reasons.

Signatures by party: Labour 40, Liberal Democrat 16, DUP 3, Independent 2, Alliance 1, Conservative 1, Green 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Respect 1.