Catherine Bearder MEP Meeting with Live Export Protesters

I just wonder sometimes what people, expect of their politicians, just before Christmas, Catherine Bearder Liberal Democrat, visited Ramsgate to meet with activist trying to stop the export of live animals through the port of Ramsgate.

Katherine Bearder's meeting just prior to Christmas was attended by a variety of people opposed to live animal exports, coming, as they did with differing perspectives, politics and expectations, this is a tricky subject since transporting animals halfway across Europe for profit is just wrong and part of the reason why I`ve not rushed to comment, that and having other things going on during Christmas.

Still first things, first the business in exporting live animals is without a doubt abhorrent to most of us, as I understand the argument put forward by those in farming is this, that there are simply not the facilities in this country to deal with slaughter animals for food preparation, which is something I find hard to believe, still it's difficult to actually find any facts out, as I suppose few of those involved are keen to expand further on the grim nature of their business.

As I mentioned earlier fact finding is not easy so you will have to forgive me for not having too many cluttering up this post, and hearsay is just that, such as the criminality of those involved, or the suggestion that this trade also is connected with ritual slaughter, these are things that I couldn't verify although it's clear that the middle eastern countries import live animals from as far as Australia.

It's easy to understand the intensity of emotions  by activist,  to any normal person this trade cannot be justified and particularly not for someone to make fat profits, which is why so many have signed petitions opposing the trade and why politicians from across the spectrum are adamant that things need to change. So it was good to see Labour well represented with Cllr Driver, Poole, Hart and Fenner at the Meeting with Catherine Bearder, Liberal democrat MEP for the South East, and Independent Cllr Worrow (Till recently Conservative). 

It's not easy to measure the impact of this type of meeting but as an observer I thought it worthwhile on several levels , the meeting iitself was  well reported in the media , and some of us were better informed than we had been before going into the meeting I`m sure Catherine Bearder discovered things from the activists, particularly in terms of poor enforcement of existing regulations, and no doubt the activist learnt something of the workings of the European  parliament, and me I thought how this was a good example of people working together.(photo Bill Furness, Catherine Bearder MEP & Me)

Perhaps there should be more meetings in which politicians are working towards the same aim, also as an observation, I thought Thanet's Cllr.Hart new political supremo was sincere and enthused in doing what could be done to prevent this trade continue through the port of Ramsgate. Also it's worth reminding people that outside of arena such as the printed word letters pages of the local press or blogs things are a bit  more civil as illustrated with Clive Hart  seen here shaking hands with my fellow Liberal Democrat  Bill Furness.

The petition to stop long journeys closes today, so if you hurry you can still make your displeasure known but just now the total number of signatures was 1027781.