Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, has resigned. He held the ministerial post which includes responsibility for animal welfare since 2007.
Mr Lochhead’s reign was a hard one for animals not least as a result of his department’s rabid opposition to mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses and inaction on unstunned slaughter.
We hope that his successor will disregard questionable, often spurious advice from some Civil Servants and financial interests and give animals protection appropriate for a civilised society.
We understand however that one of the reasons cited for his stepping down is his wife’s recent diagnosis with breast cancer. Despite our differences over the years our thoughts are with him and his family and we wish her a speedy recovery.
J