SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 STEVEN BERKOFF: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW JON CRAIG ASSESSES THE CONFERENCE SEASON POLITICS WILLIAM HAGUE ON THE CHALLENGES TO BRITAIN MARY CREAGH DEFENDS THE HUNTING ACT ED DAVEY ON THE GREEN DEAL FIRSTJIM MURPHY ASSESSES BRITISH MILTARY CAPABILITIES LIAM FOX ON REPAIRING THE UK ECONOMY VOLUME 2 / ISSUE 8 £3.99 www.politicsfirst.org.uk LIFTING THE CLOUD OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE IAIN Duncan SMITH, NICK HURD, HELEN NEWLOVE, VICTOR ADEBOWALE, HERMAN STEWART & CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP INSIDE:DAVID CAMERON, NICK CLEGG & ED MILIBAND CONTENTS 6 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: 14 COLUMNS: 22 CORRIDORS: 58 SPECIAL SECTION: STEVEN BERKOFF Jon Craig and Paul Routledge William Hague and COMMONWEALTH on what the conference season Marcus Papadopoulos talks Douglas Alexander discuss the Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Ruth Lea and might have in store for the party to Hollywood actor Steven challenges to British foreign policy Ozwald Boateng Berkoff about his efforts to leaders stop the sale of foie gras in Liam Fox argues that the British retail outlets and restaurants 16 SPOTLIGHT: LIFTING economy can only be repaired at in the UK THE CLOUD OF SOCIAL home 74 DIARY PAGE: INJUSTICE Nigel Nelson 10 LEADERS: Iain Duncan Smith, Nick Hurd, Ed Davey makes the case for the Helen Newlove, Victor Adebow- David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Green Deal ale, Herman Stewart and Child Ed Miliband set out their vision for Poverty Action Group Britain Editorial Board: ISSN 2046-4258 Esther McVey Company number: 7965752 POLITICS Lionel Zetter Editorial, Advertising and Subscriptions Darryl Howe Working together with: FIRST Paul Routledge Tel: 0797 237 4529 John Bretherton Harold Atcherley Published by: First Publishing Limited Publisher & Editor: Production Consultant: Kemp House Marcus Papadopoulos Gemma Pritchard 152 City Road London Features Assistant: EC1V 2NX Editorial Advisor: Alex Donald Keith Richmond Email: Printed in the UK by Cover image: The Magazine Printing Company Christopher Pullinger [email protected] www.politicsfirst.org.uk using only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers Finance Director: www.magprint.co.uk Senel Mehmet © First Publishing Limited The views expressed in Politics First are not necessarily those of First Publishing Limited and its directors. www.politicsfirst.org.uk September/October 2012 Politics First 3 BRIAN DAVIES - FOUND ER GET ORFF OUR BADGERS DAVE Copyright © Steve Bell 2012 - Belltoons.co.uk As violence associated with some groups escalated in the 90’s, PAL chose political intervention as the vehicle to help animals and it works. YOU CAN HELP NOW Send donations to PAL at: Imperial House, 2a Heigham Rd East Ham, London E6 2JG Join the ght. Go to www.badgeringdave.org to nd out how. Welcome to the autumn party conference edition of Politics First! An extended edition focusing on key issues facing Britain at home and abroad, and with thought- provoking articles on areas currently not being given sufficient attention by the British national press. Given the UK economy’s global standing – seventh largest in the world and third largest in Europe – the levels of inequality in many communities across Britain are BRIAN DAVIES - FOUND ER shockingly high. From child poverty to unemployment to drug and alcohol abuse to domestic abuse, Britain has a cancer, and that cancer is social injustice. Indeed, according to the Department for Work and Pensions, 3.6 million children in the UK reside in poverty – this is more than one in four British children. So how can the cloud of social injustice, which blights the lives of so many people in Britain today, be lifted? The government recently published its “Social Justice Strategy” which aims to understand social injustice more and thereby get to the roots of the problem, to tackle it more effectively. To add to that debate, Politics First invited Iain Duncan Smith, Nick Hurd, Helen Newlove, Victor Adebowale, Herman Stewart and Child Poverty Action Group to GET ORFF OUR POLITICSdiscuss how to improve the life chances of the disadvantaged in the UK. Two years into their jobs – and three years away from the general election – David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband explain how they intend to take Britain forward and release it from the economic woes that are shackling its future. Steven Berkoff, Hollywood actor and playwright and director, talks exclusively about the horror behind the ‘delicacy’ foie gras and his efforts to get it removed from the shelves and menus of all retailers and restaurants BADGERS DAVE in the UK. With the world becoming a rapidly changing place, William Hague discusses the challenges to British foreign policy while Jim Murphy assesses the combat-readiness of the British armed forces. Paul Burstow details how the government is prioritising mental health care while Malcolm Rifkind looks at the potential of the Commonwealth. And Caroline Flint assesses whether the Green Deal is a good deal or not. FIRST To Politics First’s usual audience, and delegates attending Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham, I hope you enjoy both your time at conference and this edition. 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House, 152 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX www.politicsfirst.org.uk September/October 2012 Politics First 5 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STEVEN BERKOFF The horror behind foie gras Steven Berkoff, Hollywood actor and playwright and director, talks to Marcus Papadopoulos about the cruelty behind the ‘delicacy’ of foie gras and why the UK should act quickly to ban the sale and import of this “torture in a tin” ritain has historically set a shining that on the shelves and menus of a minority then killed and their livers cut out and sold example to the rest of the world of retailers and restaurants in Britain, such as foie gras. in pushing for animals to be re- as Fortnum & Mason and Harrods, is an garded as sentient beings and not item of food whose production constitutes The pain that ducks and geese experience Bmerely as commodities. one of the most shocking forms of animal on foie gras farms is unspeakable. Investiga- cruelty in the world today: foie gras. tions carried out by People for the Ethical In 1822, Britain was the first country in Treatment of Animals found terrified birds the world to introduce an animal welfare Foie gras is originally a French pate barely able to move, had tumour-like lumps law and since then numerous other pieces which is made from the enlarged livers of in their throats with the rest of their bodies of legislation have been passed which have ducks and geese through force-feeding. covered in maggots and had severe damage enhanced the overall protection of animals This ‘delicacy’ is overwhelmingly produced to their throat muscles. Undercover footage in the country, in particular the Hunting in France. The birds, which are often kept obtained by PETA is extremely distress- Act 2004 and the Animal Welfare Act 2007. in semi-darkness in crammed cages or ing and shocking even to seasoned animal From companion animals to wild animals small pens without adequate water, are welfare investigators. to farmed animals to performing animals, force-fed several times a day for up to 21 Britain stands as a beacon of hope for the days consecutively by a funnel straight into Force-feeding of animals is banned in 15 animal kingdom and is one of its most their oesophagus. The funnel is pushed five countries, including Britain, Germany, Italy fervent protectors, putting it in line with the inches down the birds’ throats with up to and Israel. However, importing foie gras famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The four pounds of grain and fat being pumped and selling it is still legal in those countries greatness of a nation and its moral progress into their stomachs. As a result of the force- (the state of California, however, this year can be judged by the way in which its ani- feeding, the livers of the birds grow by up to set a historic precedent by banning the sale mals are treated.” It is surprising, therefore, ten times their normal size.