Portsmouth City councillor Malcolm Hey says ‘God approves of animal testing’
CONTROVERSIAL Comments from Cllr Malcolm Hey are sure to anger animal rights protesters, inset.
A CONTROVERSIAL Portsmouth councillor has said God approves of animal testing.
Tory Cllr Malcolm Hey, who represents the Copnor ward, revealed his thoughts on the issue at the party’s annual conference in Manchester yesterday.
He put in a question and written explanation in support of testing on live animals for medical research purposes during an environment debate.
He said animals are ‘not made in God’s image’ and are ‘good to eat’.
He said: ‘Medical research using live animals is necessary and valid. As we have lost our religious influences in the UK, we have become far too emotional about animals. I love animals, but let’s get them in perspective. They are not made in God’s image, should be properly husbanded, and are good to eat.’
Cllr Hey has previously caused controversy by walking out of a council meeting in January last year to avoid hearing a Muslim prayer said by Resident Alim, Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo.
And the staunch Christian has also made clear at council meetings that he does not believe in evolution.
He continued: ‘In the Old Testament God commanded the sacrifice of the best of breed for a sin sacrifice. In the New Testament, Christ cast demons into 2,000 pigs, which then ran to their death in the sea.
‘How much more is a man’s health worth than pigs? Children are benefiting from amazing research done with animals.’
But Cllr Mike Hancock, who led the campaign to ban live animal exports from Portsmouth, said: ‘Is he saying God made animals for us to be cruel to them?
‘He needs to be very careful because many drugs companies run unnecessary tests, just to compete with each other. Many of them run cosmetic tests at the same time. Things shouldn’t stay the same, as he is saying.’
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Comments
There are 43 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Catherine Heckford-Dickinson
Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 11:13 AMComment removed by moderator
Scourge
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 02:35 PMWell said Yocal @ 40 and Juggernaut @41. There is your answer Councillor Hunt. We see a political system that represents itself and not us, yet we are paying for it. Now what about the answer to digicom's points @26 about SOLACE. Looks like some big time patronage with taxpayer's money going on here, if you are so good as a councillor, which you claim to be, explain to us the taxpayers, what is really going on please?
Juggernaut
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 01:08 PMLee, what are your views on why we bother with local politics? And by that, I mean the farce of having councillors belonging to political parties and toeing the respective party line. I've never understood why we need a ToryLabourLib Dem split in a council - you're there as directly elected officials to run the city, not score political points. I'd much rather see all councillors as independent and rely on the fact you're all adults to do the best for the city.
Yocal
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:56 PMLee Hunt I don't like the left or the right and I don't suggest that democracy should be replaced. However democracy doesn't imply that a system of political parties is today appropriate for the changes we are seeing. The vast majority are alienated by political parties and never join one, those people are true democrats because they decide the right way to go at any given time rather than depending on political ideologies that came about in the industrial revolution. I don't believe any political party represents what is needed today. That isn't a failure of democracy, that is a failure for them to adjust to environmental reality.
Lee Hunt
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 10:13 AMDear 'Scourge', Just as easily the internet shows us why the media is so important as a check and a balance in our democratic system as it reveals to all the world the paranoid rantings of 'ultra-right wingers' and anarchists who seem to have no argument or plans to replace elected people like me and civil servants with something else - so what's your plan ? How will you make things more accountable and better ? Your comments seems to imply that people in local government will need to be paid more money as you claim: "The bottom line is that no one with any talent elects to go into Local Government" ... so how do you get that talent to 'go in' ? As I've said many times before - until you have some kind of answer your comments look nonsensical. I really look forward to a logical debate. Best wshes, Cllr Lee Hunt
Scourge
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 09:46 AMTman @ 37. That is what we already have. The bottom line is that no one with any talent elects to go into Local Government. This is reflected in constant waste, inefficiency, incompetence, overmanning, too many levels of 'so called' management and too much self interested decision making, using taxpayer's money to achieve it, evidenced by digicom@26 below. You must be rattled or all these councillors like Hunt and officers like yourself would not be posting. With regards to self interested decision making, Councillor Hunt did not respond to the £300k of taxpayer's money paid to SOLACE over the last 7 years, presumably because it is entirely unjustifiable. You can't fool us anymore because of our access to the internet.
Tman
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 09:37 AMSo Yocal, in general you believe that the top chippies, bricklayers surgeons etc could be unemployed while the rubbish ones are just good at the old flim-flam? I'm sure we all know instances of that to be true, but people do tend to find thier own level eventually. PCC is the usual Aunt Sally for those with chips on thier shoulders, but do we really want low-paid semi-skilled employees in those jobs?
Yocal
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 11:24 PMMr Hey allegedly stated: "In the New Testament, Christ cast demons into 2,000 pigs, which then ran to their death in the sea."........... A quick google search for the pigs quote shows that Mr Hey is misquoting the Bible. Not only that but the reference has no relevance to the way Christ or God suggests humans should treat animals. Also 2000 pigs would not drown themselves even with two 'demon' possessed men chasing them. It has no relevance at all to the subject Mr Hey is addressing.
Yocal
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 11:06 PMLee Hunt said: "The way British democracy works is not fool proof, but it's the best around and salaries are set by market rates.".......... Mr Hunt that is complete bull. There is no such thing as a market rate. Although I do accept their are idiots that believe that. The salary 'market' is not based on merit, if that were true most of the people that are paid a lot of money would be unemployed and those that actually skilled would be highly paid. These days people are not paid on merit or experience, they are paid on the basis of how good they are at lying and bulls**ting.
Yocal
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 10:57 PMThe councillor in the article doesn't have a clue about what his god wants. What really annoys me is the way some people abuse religion and power. Clearly Cllr Hey is deluded by his own power and interpretation of religious texts. If he interprets ancient texts so literally maybe he can explain why many animals and even plants have such a high percentage of genes similar to humans. By his definition that implies he thinks humans can be experimented on. People like Cllr Hey shouldn't even be allowed to be in a position of responsibility with such a distorted and corrupt view of the world.
Lee Hunt
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 10:50 PMSorry I meant Digicom @26 comment -
Lee Hunt
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 10:43 PMSo 'Digicom' (comment 24) what's your plan ? Who would you replace the Chief Executive with ? an elected Mayor ? - that at least is a plan - even so ant elected Mayor (like Boris Johnson) will still need these civil servants to advise him or her. Who woud you replace the Strategic Directors with and how would you get the expertise they bring in economic development, education, social services, environmental issues, traffic & transportation ? How would you get that expert advice and direction ? Maybe your plan would be to 'buy-in' such advice and services from the private sector and pay twice as much ? ... and then where's the public accountabilty ? or maybe we should leave the councillors to run it all on their own without the strategic advice and without any managers to look after and help deliver the vital public services needed, but you don't seem to want them either ? The way British democracy works is not fool proof, but it's the best around and salaries are set by market rates. I agree some salaries are too much and the council is reducing staff across all tiers. including top tiers - whilst retaining essential skills. So far as any councillors buying any properties to rent or otherwise - I have no idea and why would they tell me ? but, I presume they are free to do so just like anyone else and put it in the members' declaration of interests for all to see. Kind regards, Cllr Lee Hunt ljhunt1@virginmedia.com (for any communication)
haggar
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 09:37 PMHi again Mike at 27. If you wish to participate in the new democracy, the internet, and be effective, you have to be intelligent, informed and educated. If you are not, and still wish to participate, as you do, you just expose yourself to the real, effective participants. Give my best to your imaginary cousin Gary.
gcpfc
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 09:21 PMhey... please provide evidence for existence of god,we will take it from there.
PompeyBlue1962
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 08:59 PMI think that was a typo. He actually meant to say God loves animal testes.
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