A Moral Decision

Despite its flexible concern for human beings, the British government has no hesitation in protecting animal rights, provided that the animals are sufficiently far away and those who profit from them sufficiently foreign. Britain has made a "moral decision" to support a European boycott of seal products, much to the irritation of the Canadian government, which has committed itself to keeping the seal populations above "the estimated 'safe' level". There is some disagreement over whether the creatures are being bludgeoned to death in an "acceptably humane manner", and European MPs have ordered another review of the matter. Britain, Belgium, Italy and Mexico are in favour of an all-out ban, since the biggest markets for seal furs are Russia and China. The United States is also in favour of such a ban, which is what makes it a moral decision.