Why the long face? UK Greens consider Grand National ban

Britain’s Green Party would consider banning the Grand National and other horse and greyhound races as part of an animal protection drive should it form the next government, its leader, Natalie Bennett, has said.

A promise to review such events will appear in the party’s manifesto, to be released on Tuesday.

"I can give you an exclusive preview of our manifesto which says we want a complete review of all horse and greyhound racing," she told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC television.

“There’s a whole range of broader issues around animal protection here that we really need to talk about . . . like the badger cull.”

She said “banning snares of animals and also tackling factory farming” were at the forefront of her thinking.

Ms Bennett said she did not watch yesterday’s Grand National, which was won by Many Clouds. “I confess I wasn’t watching, didn’t know anything about it,” she said.

Asked why she would consider banning what Marr called the nation’s favourite horse race, she said: “There are clearly animal protection issues there which need to be addressed.”

– (Guardian service)