Animal Welfare Party
Leader	Vanessa Hudson[1]
Nominating Officer	Jon Homan[1]
Treasurer	Louise Cobham[1]
Veterinary advisor	Andre Menache[1]
Founded	2 December 2006; 19 years ago (2006-12-02)
Headquarters	71–75 Shelton Street London WC2H 9JQ
Ideology	Animal welfare
Political position	Left-wing[2]
International affiliation	Animal Politics EU
Website
www.animalwelfareparty.org
Politics of the United Kingdom Political parties Elections

Animal Welfare Party (AWP) is a minorpolitical party in theUnited Kingdom campaigning on ananimal welfare, environment and health platform.^[3]

The party was founded in December 2006 byJasmijn de Boo, a Dutch national, of Kennington, London, and Shaun Rutherford ofMilford Haven, Wales, as Animals Count!^[4] The party was registered with theElectoral Commission on 22 January 2007.^[5]

In October 2010, Vanessa Hudson was elected as party leader. In 2013, the party changed its name from Animals Count! to the Animal Welfare Party.^[6]

In June 2013, Hudson joined leaders from other animal protection parties from across Europe in a meeting inThe Hague organised by the Animal Politics Foundation of the Netherlands.^[7] At this meeting the animal protection parties of the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Turkey and the UK discussed ways in which they could work together more effectively. Later that month, Hudson announced that the Animal Welfare Party would stand in the London region in the2014 European Parliament elections. It was one of seven European animal protection parties contesting the 2014 European elections with the aim of returning dedicated representatives for animals to the EU Parliament.^[8] This European group of parties became known informally as theEuroAnimal7 and includedPvdD of The Netherlands, PACMA of Spain,PAN of Portugal,Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz of Germany, Djurens Parti of Sweden, and Animal Party Cyprus.

In September 2017, the party gained its first elected representative afterAlsager Town Councillor Jane Smith defected from theGreen Party to the AWP.^[9]

In January 2024, the party gained a second representative afterHexham Town Councillor Lee Williscroft-Ferris, who had been elected as an independent, switched to the party.^[10]

The party's main goal is "a world in which animals are not exploited and are seen and treated as sentient beings". It describes itself as "primarily dedicated to advancing the rights of all non-human animals" and as "modelled on the successfulDutch Party for the Animals". It also postulates left-wing economic policies outside of animal issues; it advocates a 50% tax rate for those earning more than £150,000, an increase of the minimum wage to £10 per hour, and reducing private sector in housing in favor of the public sector.^[11]

It initially intended to stand in theWelsh Assembly election in 2007.^[12] In the2008 London Assembly election, de Boo stood inLambeth and Southwark,^[13] receiving 1,828 votes (1.12%).^[14] The party sponsored an electoral list of three candidates for the2009 European Parliament election in theEast of England,^[15] receiving 13,201 votes (0.8%).^[16]

In the2010 United Kingdom general election, the party contested one seat, which it did not win. The party sponsored an electoral list of eight candidates for the 2014 European Parliament election in the London region, receiving 21,092 votes (1.0%). Four AWP candidates contested the2015 general election, all losing their deposits. They stood in the2016 London Assembly election, receiving 1% of the vote. They stood four candidates in the2017 general election and six in the2019 general election: none were elected. They stood again in the2021 and2024 London Assembly elections, receiving 1.7% of the vote both times.

Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

Note: Standing as "Animals Count"

• Animal welfare in the United Kingdom
• Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation
• List of animal advocacy parties

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• Political parties established in 2007
• Political parties in the United Kingdom

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