There are a few interpretations of the government's sudden conversion to the cause of animal welfare. The inclusion of a range of measures in the Queen's Speech, including recognising animal sentience, ending live animal exports and taking steps to stop people keeping primates as pets, is a far cry from a Conservative Party that four years ago was promising its MPs a free vote on bringing back fox hunting. Many people have pointed the finger at the prime minister's wife Carrie Symonds, known for her work with conservation organisations. Gossip about her influence over Boris Johnson and his seemingly newfound passion for green issues goes back to 2019, when the government told Natural England to scrap the planned badger cull in Derbyshire.
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