AS politicians return to parliament after their summer break, they are faced with a oncein-a-generation opportunity to protect the UK’s farm animal welfare standards.

Failure to act now could result in a catastrophic weakening of the hard-won protections for millions of animals in this country.

We are calling on the people of Merseyside to sign our petition urging Government to ban lower standard imports.

With three months until Brexit, the increasing risk of there being no deal with our European neighbours, and as a net importer of nearly 40% of our food, the vast majority coming from the European Union, the Government has to feed the nation.

Manifesto promises and parliamentary pronouncements guaranteeing to protect our high welfare standards as we seek new trade deals around the globe have not been backed up by the legal protections that are essential to ensure the Government does not roll back on their commitment to protect British farmers and their animals.

A recent survey showed 74% of adults in the North West region want the Government to honour its commitment not to lower animal welfare standards.

Without clear legislation banning food produced to lower welfare standards from our shores, we rely totally on political promises and risk setting back animal welfare by decades, causing the suffering of more animals to produce the food on our plates and failing to protect British farmers.

We urge UK shoppers to sign our petition at www.rspca.org.uk/agribill in the hope that the Government will listen to the British public and protect our hard-won farm animal welfare.

Chris Sherwood, chief executive RSPCA