A council which covers Sir Keir Starmer‘s constituency is poised to go fully vegan. Labour-led Camden Council commissioned a report which found adopting plant-based catering in full was in line with the north London authority’s “food mission”, according to campaign group Plant Based Councils.
The plan means all events and meetings of the council would have “100% plant-based catering” so tuna, ham, egg and cheese sandwiches would be off the menu. Plant Based Councils hailed a council report supporting the move as a “historic win for climate action, publich health and the community”.
Camden Council said it isn’t a fully vegan council despite Plant Based Councils identifying the local authority as the third London borough to take the “transformative step”.
London boroughs Lewisham and Hackney are fully vegan, according to the group, which claims credit for Oxfordshire County Council, Calderdale and Exeter City Council ditching food derived from animals.
Kush Naker, who is a leading member of the Plant Based Councils campaign, said: “This is a huge moment, not just for Camden, but for climate action in the UK.
“We’re thrilled our council has listened to the science and the local community and shown real leadership.
“This policy isn’t about telling individuals what to eat. It’s about ensuring that our public institutions reflect the urgent need to shift toward sustainable, inclusive, and compassionate food systems.”
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said Camden Council should be supporting British farmers who “produce some of the most sustainable food in the world, regardless of whether it’s meat, dairy or vegetables”.
Mr Metcalf-Fisher told the Telegraph there are questions for Sir Keir, whose Holborn and St Pancras constituency is in the borough of Camden. He urged the Prime Minister to make it clear if more Labour-led councils will go vegan.
The Countryside Alliance is campaigning against public bodies promoting veganism, urging the championing of locally sourced food and freedom of choice rather than blanket bans on meat and dairy.
It claims councils, including Dorset, Fenland, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Cornwall and North Northamptonshire, have voted in favour of its campaign to support British farming and uphold freedom of choice.
A Camden council spokesman said: “We are not a fully plant-based council but we are looking at ways of moving towards serving more healthy, seasonal and locally grown food.”