Kosher labelling bill clears first Commons hurdle amid Jewish concern

A controversial Commons bill calling for compulsory labelling of kosher and halal meat has passed its first reading, prompting concern from Jewish groups that religious slaughter is being unfairly targeted.

The Ten Minute Rule Bill, introduced by Conservative MP Esther McVey, cleared its initial stage on Tuesday and is scheduled to return to Parliament for a second reading on 10 July.

Speaking in the House of Commons, the Tatton MP argued that consumers should be informed if meat has been prepared according to religious rites, saying shoppers have the right to know whether food has been “blessed by another religion.”

McVey said the proposal was not intended to ban kosher or halal meat, but claimed compulsory labelling was necessary to allow informed choice. “The overwhelming majority of animal lovers in the UK expect the House of Commons to support the bill,” she said.

Jewish campaigners, however, warned that the measure risks stigmatising shechita by singling out religious slaughter while ignoring other methods already used in the food chain.

Kosher meat in the UK is already clearly labelled, a point raised by Shechita UK, which campaigns to defend Jewish religious slaughter. The organisation wrote to McVey ahead of the debate, expressing concern about what is described as “pejorative views” within the proposed legislation.

In a letter, campaign director Shimon Cohen said: “All kosher meat and products containing kosher meat are already clearly labelled. I think it is fair to say that Jews invented the concept of food labelling a very long time ago.”

Cohen questioned why the bill focused solely on kosher and halal meat. “That you are only calling for the ‘labelling (of halal) and kosher meat’ leads me to think that you are not seeking to provide Jews (and Muslims) with information, but you are seeking to provide information beyond audiences of consumers who choose to buy kosher or halal products.”

He argued that if consumer transparency were the goal, labelling should also cover other slaughter practices, including gas stunning, electrocution, captive bolt and mis-stunning.

“It is extremely important to distinguish between honest, even-handed, non-discriminatory labelling and the inadvertent deception of consumers, as well as a biased, misinformed affront to faith communities,” Cohen wrote, warning that limiting labelling to kosher and halal methods “becomes highly problematic”.

McVey’s bill claims slaughter without stunning causes “severe pain” to animals, a position disputed by Jewish groups, who cite peer-reviewed studies demonstrating that the shechita method renders an animal insensible to pain almost immediately.

Although McVey says she is not seeking to outlaw religious slaughter, the bill has received support from MPs who have previously argued for such exemptions to be removed altogether.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the UK’s rules on religious slaughter strike a balance between animal welfare and religious freedom.

“Our legislation requires that all animals must be stunned before slaughter to make them unconscious and insensitive to pain. The only exception to this is when animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites, for the food of Muslims and Jews,” the spokesperson said.

“The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.”

McVey did not respond to Shechita UK’s letter or its offer of a meeting.