During the last general election, animal welfare issues generated relatively little mainstream media attention. Though polls showed the vast majority of people opposed repealing the fox hunting ban, the consensus among commentators (myself included) was that the Conservatives’ manifesto pledge – to allow a vote on the issue in parliament – wouldn’t be a priority for voters. Other things, like the NHS, security, education and perceptions of competence, seemed far more likely to swing the result.

Meanwhile, on social media, something significant was happening. Not so much on Twitter, where journalists tend to spend a lot of their time. But over on Facebook, which has a far larger active user base, articles and videos about the potential legalisation of fox hunting went viral, sometimes racking up seven-figure view counts and reaching people who weren’t necessarily particularly politically engaged. The other big animal welfare story of the election – the Conservative U-turn on banning wild animals from circuses – spread similarly rapidly. That ban is also supported by the vast majority of voters and has already been implemented in Scotland.

Foie gras and badger culling would be banned under Labour proposals Read more

Following an election in which the Conservatives collapsed from a 24 point polling lead at the start of the campaign to just two points ahead of Labour in the final result, both parties have endeavoured to take animal welfare seriously. In the case of the Tories, this commitment seems to be mainly rhetorical. While Blue Planet was on TV, several of their MPs tweeted about environmental issues in a way that seemed suspiciously coordinated. And the environment secretary, Michael Gove, has restated support for a ban on wild animals in circuses, though the party continues to drag its heels on actually introducing the legislation. The party has also expressed support for compulsory CCTV in abattoirs and curbs on “puppy farms”.

Though it’s not yet in government, Labour has taken a significantly stronger approach. The party has proposed a raft of measures for inclusion under a new animal welfare bill, which has been heralded by activists as “the beginning of the end of cruel factory farming”. According to Labour’s environment spokeswoman, Sue Hayman, the 50-point plan would be a comprehensive new approach to animal welfare if Labour came to power, intended to improve conditions for animals in the UK, whether wild, livestock or pets.

Though some of the proposed measures have also been endorsed by the Conservatives, others, such as strengthening the hunting act and ending the badger cull are in direct opposition to government policy. Other proposals include a ban on exporting live animals for slaughter, designing post-Brexit farm subsidies to move away from intensive factory farming and ending routine preventative use of antibiotics for livestock.

As an animal lover living in rental accommodation, I’m particularly excited by the suggestion tenants could be granted the legal right to keep pets. And a quick straw poll of friends in similar stations suggests many feel the same way. Of course, younger people, who’re most likely to be renting privately, already support Labour by a significant margin. Still, policies that motivate your base are no bad thing if they’re also fairly popular among the wider electorate. Particularly when enthusiastic volunteers are so crucial to the party’s success.

It remains to be seen how much impact the proposals have, but my gut feeling is that focusing on animal welfare is a smart move for Labour. As the Tories attempt to fight a culture war over identity, speech and university no-platforming, it’s tempting for Labour to retreat to safe ground. And while the party is backed by the public on issues such as social care and the NHS, there’s a worry that those messages have already reached everyone they can. That is, anyone who priorities healthcare over policy areas where Labour is less trusted is already voting Labour. Potentially, this could tap into whole new wells of support.

• Abi Wilkinson is a freelance journalist