By Macer Hall, www.express.co.uk
ANGRY MPs last night urged tougher laws on food labelling after discovering that Muslim halal meat has been secretly served in House of Commons restaurants.
Officials admitted that the Parliamentary catering service had “unknowingly received” poultry slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law.
The disclosure follows an outcry over revelations that people are not told that halal products are sold in cafes, takeaways, schools and hospitals.
Many consumers object to Islamic ritual slaughter, where animals are killed by having their throats cut.
Animal welfare campaigners including Joanna Lumley and Heather Mills have called for a boycott of eating places that serve halal food.
Tory MP Greg Knight said: “Suppliers seem to be going for the option of making everyone eat halal so they don’t inadvertently offend a Muslim. I don’t think that’s the way forward; the way forward is proper labelling. I prefer to eat meat where the animal has been killed humanely and without suffering.”
Commons authorities said halal poultry was served without any indication of the slaughter method.
Mr Knight added: “This underlines the need to have proper labelling in place.”
Philip Hollobone, another Tory MP, said: “I am angry because I don’t think it is that difficult a problem to solve.
“It just needs the political will to do it. We’re waiting for Europe to do something rather than taking the initiative ourselves or maybe the Government is frightened about upsetting the ethnic minorities.”
