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Animal Welfare Party

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Animal Welfare Party
LeaderVanessa Hudson[1]
Nominating OfficerJon Homan[1]
TreasurerLouise Cobham[1]
Veterinary advisorAndre Menache[1]
Founded2 December 2006; 18 years ago (2006-12-02)
Headquarters71–75 Shelton Street
London
WC2H 9JQ
IdeologyAnimal welfare
Environmentalism
Website
www.animalwelfareparty.org

Animal Welfare Party (AWP) is a minor political party in the United Kingdom campaigning on an animal welfare, environment and health platform.[2]

History

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The party was founded in December 2006 by Jasmijn de Boo, a Dutch national, of Kennington, London, and Shaun Rutherford of Milford Haven, Wales, as Animals Count![3] The party was registered with the Electoral Commission on 22 January 2007.[4]

In October 2010, Vanessa Hudson was elected as party leader. In 2013, the party changed its name from Animals Count! to the Animal Welfare Party.[5]

In June 2013, Hudson joined leaders from other animal protection parties from across Europe in a meeting in The Hague organised by the Animal Politics Foundation of the Netherlands.[6] At this meeting the animal protection parties of the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Turkey and the UK discussed ways in which they could work together more effectively. Later that month, Hudson announced that the Animal Welfare Party would stand in the London region in the 2014 European Parliament elections. It was one of seven European animal protection parties contesting the 2014 European elections with the aim of returning dedicated representatives for animals to the EU Parliament.[7] This European group of parties became known informally as the EuroAnimal7 and included PvdD of The Netherlands, PACMA of Spain, PAN of Portugal, Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz of Germany, Djurens Parti of Sweden, and Animal Party Cyprus.

In September 2017, the party gained its first elected representative after Alsager Town Councillor Jane Smith defected from the Green Party to the AWP.[8]

Electoral history

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It initially intended to stand in the Welsh Assembly election in 2007.[9] In the 2008 London Assembly election, de Boo stood in Lambeth and Southwark,[10] receiving 1,828 votes (1.12%).[11] The party sponsored an electoral list of three candidates for the 2009 European Parliament election in the East of England,[12] receiving 13,201 votes (0.8%).[13]

In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the party contested one seat, which it did not win. The party sponsored an electoral list of eight candidates for the 2014 European Parliament election in the London region, receiving 21,092 votes (1.0%). Four AWP candidates contested the 2015 general election, all losing their deposits. They stood in the 2016 London Assembly election, receiving 1% of the vote. They stood four candidates in the 2017 general election and six in the 2019 general election: none were elected. They stood again in the 2021 and 2024 London Assembly elections, receiving 1.7% of the vote both times.

Elections contested

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Parliamentary elections

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General election, 6 May 2010

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Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

Constituency Candidate Votes %
Islington South and Finsbury Richard Deboo 149 0.3[14]

General election, 7 May 2015

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Constituency Candidate Votes %
Hackney North and Stoke Newington Jon Homan 225 0.5[15]
Holborn and St Pancras Vanessa Hudson 173 0.3[16]
Kensington Andrew Knight 158 0.5[17]
Putney Guy Dessoy 184 0.4[18]

Scottish Parliament election, 5 May 2016

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Region Votes %
Glasgow 1,819 0.1

General election, 8 June 2017

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Constituency Candidate Votes %
Hackney North and Stoke Newington Jon Homan 222 0.4
Hackney South and Shoreditch Vanessa Hudson 226 0.4
Lewisham Deptford Laura McAnea 225 0.4
Maidenhead Andrew Knight 282 0.5

General election, 12 December 2019

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Constituency Candidate Votes %
Bethnal Green and Bow Vanessa Hudson 439 0.7
Chelsea and Fulham Sam Morland 500 1.1
Congleton Jane Smith 658 1.1
Kingswood Angelika Cowell 489 1.0
New Forest East Andrew Knight 675 1.3
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner Femy Amin 325 0.6

Scottish Parliament election, 6 May 2021

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Region Votes %
Lothian 2,392 0.6

European Parliament elections

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2009 European elections

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Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

Regional lists Candidates Votes % MEPs
East of England 13,201 0.8 0[19]

2014 European elections

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Regional lists Candidates Votes % MEPs
London 21,092 1.0 0[20]

2019 European elections

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Regional lists Candidates Votes % MEPs
London Vanessa Hudson
Jane Smith
Sam Morland
Ranjan Joshi
Mina Da Rui
Jonathan Homan
Simon Gouldman		 25,232 1.1 0[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Animal Welfare Party website: Committee of National Officers
  2. ^ Animal Welfare Party website: Vision
  3. ^ "Activists welcome animal rights party", BBC News, 3 December 2006
  4. ^ Electoral Commission: Animal Welfare Party registration (Reference PP616l)
  5. ^ Animal Welfare Party website: About
  6. ^ Partij voor de Dieren, Worldlog week 24 – 2013 Archived April 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Animal Welfare Party website: 2014 EU Elections
  8. ^ "Animal Welfare Party Gains First UK Political Representation After Jane Smith Defects From Green Party". HuffingtonPost.com. 4 September 2017.
  9. ^ "New animal rights party launched". BBC News. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  10. ^ "London elections 2008: More candidates". Southwark News. 28 April 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  11. ^ "London Elections: Lambeth & Southwark". BBC News. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  12. ^ "Party promises voice for animals". BBC News. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  13. ^ "European Election 2009: East of England". BBC News. 7 June 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  14. ^ Election 2010 - Islington South & Finsbury, BBC News. Accessed 12 May 2015.
  15. ^ Election 2015 - Ealing Southall, BBC News. Accessed 12 May 2015.
  16. ^ Election 2015 - Holborn & St Pancras, BBC News. Accessed 12 May 2015.
  17. ^ Election 2010 - Kensington, BBC News. Accessed 12 May 2015.
  18. ^ Election 2015 - Putney, BBC News. Accessed 12 May 2015.
  19. ^ European Election 2009: East of England, BBC News Accessed 12 May 2015.
  20. ^ Vote 2014 - London, BBC News Accessed 12 May 2015.
  21. ^ "European Parliamentary elections 23 May 2019 | Lambeth Council". www.lambeth.gov.uk.
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