Ukip’s foray into animal rights campaigning is going well. After the Jewish Chronicle pointed out that Nigel Farage boasted to them that he had done a great deal of work to protect shechita, the party’s agricultural spokesman Stuart Agnew told the paper:
‘This isn’t aimed at you – it’s aimed elsewhere – it’s aimed at others.
‘You’ve been caught in the crossfire; collateral damage. You know what I mean.’
If you didn’t know what Ukip meant when it announced it would oppose non-stun slaughter of animals, then at least you know now. This isn’t so much a dog whistle as a foghorn. Who else could Agnew possibly mean when referring to religious groups affected by the party’s new policy?
UPDATE, 5.47pm: I’ve asked a party spokesman for his comments on Agnew’s remarks, which he wasn’t aware of. I will update this blog as soon as I receive an official response.
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