SCHOOLS are facing a boycott of thousands of Muslim families after Lancashire County Council voted to ban Halal meat from unstunned animals.

County school will no longer be allowed to use meat from animals not stunned before slaughter, with the exception of poultry.

4 Lancashire County Council has passed a vote on banning meat supplied from non-stunned animals - the usual Halal practice Credit: PA:Press Association

4 Children being handed their school dinners in a canteen - file photo Credit: Getty - Contributor

A similar ban in 2012 in East Lancashire saw dozens of Muslim children steer clear of school meals over religious concerns.

This was reportedly sparked by the Lancashire Council of Mosques' insistence the meat no longer met the dietary rules of Islam.

The chairman of the group Abdul Qureshi, spoke to the BBC about the proposed ban, which has now been passed, and said: “People will pull out of school meals and people who should eat properly will be deprived of that. For us it’s a matter of faith. For Geoff Driver [council leader] it is his feelings."

It is thought some 27 schools across the county serve meat from suppliers who don't stun animals before slaughter.

4 Councillor Geoff Driver, who sparked a debate on the issue which led to the ban Credit: lancashire council

4 Lancashire County Council - County Hall, in Preston Credit: Google Maps

The decision to bring in the ban came after a debate on the controversial issue started by the council's Tory leader Geoff Driver.

Poultry will not form part of the ban as Cllr Driver stated stunning chickens may kill them ahead of slaughter, which would go against Islamic practise.

The Lancashire Telegraph reports Cllr Driver said: “This is an animal welfare issue and an animal welfare issue alone.

“It is not anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim. I have brought it forward purely because the supply contract is up for renewal.

“Killing animals without stunning them beforehand causes them unnecessary stress, pain and discomfort.

“Many Muslim scholars and 84 per cent of Muslims accept meat is still halal if animals are stunned before slaughter.”

Councillors Mohammed Iqbal and Azhar Ali hoped to delay the vote, but were unsuccessful, with the former saying: "This is taking choice away from schools and children."

Following debate this week councillors voted 41 for the ban, with 24 against and 15 abstentions.

Earlier this year Prince George started school, and we took a look at the lunches he might be tucking into.

Thrifty woman cuts her weekly food bill to £5 a week by rummaging in BINS and taking leftovers from strangers

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