Keir Starmer urged to ban ‘cruel’ greyhound racing in England

Exclusive: Group of MPs and animal charities call for end to practice after Scotland and Wales vote to phase it out

Keir Starmer is coming under pressure from backbench Labour MPs to ban the “cruel” practice of greyhound racing.

The Welsh and Scottish governments voted last month to phase out the practice. Animal welfare groups say thousands of dogs in the UK have died in recent years owing to racing in the “inherently dangerous” sport.

At least a dozen Labour MPs, including members of the all-party parliamentary group on animal welfare, have spoken out, asking Starmer to bring the ban into force in England.

The chair of the APPG, Irene Campbell, said: “Every year, thousands of greyhounds are injured while racing, ranging from broken bones to fatalities. Even when greyhounds retire, they are often killed when deemed ‘unsuitable for rehoming’. Greyhound racing is a cruel and outdated sport and I support calls to end it.”

Neil Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, said: “Pushing dogs to their limits for entertainment and profit leaves many with life‑changing injuries – and too often an early death. Westminster should follow suit and call the last lap on greyhound racing.”

Some ministers have raised concerns, too. One told the Guardian: “The sport is outdated and cruel, and this has left England an outlier. If it can be banned in Wales, surely we can follow suit? There are questions from backbenchers as to why we are allowing this cruel sport to continue, and I completely understand why they are asking.”

MPs have said Labour could add a ban into its recently launched animal welfare strategy.

The right wing of the Labour party is lobbying the government to stand firm, fearing banning the sport could erode the working-class vote. Greyhound racing was historically a working-class pursuit and made going to the races an accessible hobby for people of all incomes.

Michael Dugher, a former Labour MP and until recently the chair of the Betting and Gaming Council, is close to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, who last year attended his 50th birthday party. He is understood to have told the Labour leadership that banning greyhound racing in Wales had reduced support for the party among working-class people, and that if Labour lost the Senedd election its stance on greyhound racing would be partly to blame.

He has predicted similar negative effects on voting if such a policy were enacted in England, with voters being driven to Reform UK.

Reform is hoping to campaign on this issue in order to gain working-class votes. The MP Lee Anderson told the Guardian: “Banning greyhound racing would be heavy handed and an attack on working-class culture. As someone who used to race greyhounds, who were kept to the highest standard, I can assure you that you don’t protect animal welfare with sweeping bans that threaten jobs and traditions. You do it with proper standards and enforcement. This is nanny-state politics at its worst.”

The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has resisted calls to follow the example of Wales and Scotland. She said: “We have absolutely no plans whatsoever to ban greyhound racing. We appreciate the joy that it brings to many, many people in our country and the economic contribution that it makes.”

Animal charities have asked Labour to reconsider and have been briefing MPs. Between 2018 and 2023, 2,700 greyhounds died and more than 26,500 injuries to greyhounds were recorded.

Jo Rowland, the chief executive of the RSPCA, said: “No animal should be suffering or dying in the name of entertainment. Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, and the industry’s own data shows that thousands of injuries have occurred in recent years, while hundreds of dogs have lost their lives. That level of suffering, purely for the purpose of entertainment, is simply unacceptable.”

A government spokesperson said it recognised concerns about the welfare of racing greyhounds. However, they added: “There are no plans to ban greyhound racing, but robust laws and a strong regulatory body – the Greyhound Board of Great Britain – are in place to ensure high standards and make improvements in greyhound welfare.”