One of Britain's most well-known barristers has predicted that eating meat could be banned in the UK because it is 'damaging the planet'.
Michael Mansfield QC, a self-described 'radical lawyer', is due to speak at the Labour Party conference in Brighton today (23 September).
Animal rights charity Viva! released part of his speech last night.
Mansfield will say during the charity's 'Vegan Now' campaign event that it is 'not preposterous' to think that one day meat will become illegal
“I think when we look at the damage eating meat is doing to the planet, it is not preposterous to think that one day it will become illegal,” he will say.
“There are plenty of things that were once commonplace that are now illegal, such as smoking inside.
“We know that the top 3,000 companies in the world are responsible for more than £1.5trn (€1.7trn) worth of damage to the environment with meat and dairy production high on the list.
“It is time for a new law on ecocide to go alongside genocide and the other crimes against humanity.”
The Vegan Now campaign, launched by Viva!, encourages people to adopt a plant-based diet.
The event is set to begin at 3:15pm and will see Shadow Defra Secretary Kerry McCarthy as a panellist, who is a vegan.
It follows recent comments by the Welsh government's rural affairs minister who said farmers feel 'targeted' as calls grow for the public to reduce their meat intake.
Lesley Griffiths said: “I think what we need to look at [is] the way meat is produced in Wales, for instance. It's very, very sustainable.”
Asked if the public should cut down on meat consumption, she said: “I don't think so. I think it's a balance - I think it's a personal choice.”
Meanwhile, the National Sheep Association (NSA) said British livestock farming is 'wrongly blamed' for climate change due to 'unbalanced and inadequate' reporting.
It comes as the farming industry aims to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across England and Wales by 2040 as a contribution to a new target of 2050 for the whole of the UK.
