All beings have a right to enjoy life

Dear Sir,

I am sure many of your readers will agree with Jane Smith that it is alarming that MPs voted against the belief in animal sentience during the parliamentary debates on Brexit last week.

If they want our democracy to be more inclusive and for more involvement in the processes they must themselves be more aware of their electorate's likely response to their decisions.

Despite what Fiona Bruce and Karen Bradley have said, this must raise concerns about their commitment to animal welfare when hard decisions are made.

I also agree that this is part of a wider picture that includes hunting, mega-farms and animal testing.

It also speaks for the view that we are as a species different from others in the animal kingdom, based on religious doctrine.

The theory of evolution that is widely accepted states that we all come from the same common ancestors and share the same rights including that of enjoying our lives.

Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.