Countryside Alliance warns against Dale Vince's vegan school meals proposals

The Countryside Alliance has hit back at an animal rights activist who has been calling for ministers to scrap laws banning vegan-only school meals. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, the Alliance’s Director of External Affairs told reporters from the Daily Mail and GB News that decisions regarding children’s diets lies with their parents and guardians rather than with a vegan campaigner.

The donor, who has reportedly given £3.6million to Labour already this year, said he would urge the new government to rewrite rules on what pupils are served at lunch. Speaking at an event on Sunday, 22 September, at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, Mr Vince also vowed to continue his efforts to get the Government to encourage farmers to transition away from animal farming towards crop farming. Mr Vince said he would seek to speak to ministers about schemes proposed in other European countries, including a meat tax or a cap on the number of cows.

Responding to these comments, Mo Metcalf-Fisher told reporters:

“The decision as to whether a child does not have meat and dairy in their diet as part of a balanced healthy lifestyle is a matter exclusively for parents and guardians, not animal rights activists.

“Rather than moving away from meat and dairy, a move which would be incredibly unpopular, the Government should be encouraging schools to supply sustainable produce, including meat, dairy and vegetables, from British farmers.”

Mr Vince claimed: “We've worked with a lot of schools now for a lot of years. We're providing food to one in four English primary schools right now and some schools tell us it's a problem. Some schools want to go further, they don't want meat and dairy on the menu perhaps every day of the week - or even at all in some cases - but it's the law at the moment. I am hoping to have a conversation with the new Government at some point and encourage them to change the law.”

Vince added that humans now “know better” about meat consumption and “we shouldn't be forcing these unhealthy products on our kids.”

Under current rules, schools in England are required to serve a portion of food containing milk or dairy every day, and a portion of meat or poultry on three or more days each week.