THE Labour Party pledged to “end the disastrous badger culls and put scientific evidence at the heart of policy” during a manifesto announcement on Wednesday.

Stroud District Council Labour group environment spokesman Cllr Paul Denney (Lab, Cam West) was among those who travelled to London to hear Labour’s Pledge for Animals.

Speaking after the event, he said: “There cannot be a more stark example of the difference between Labour and the Conservatives than their stance on animal welfare.

“On one side, a party that wants to roll out the badger culls, end the ban on fox hunting and subsidise shotguns and grouse moor shoots for the few who can afford it.

“On the other hand, Labour, a party that has scientifically proven that culls don’t work and that will end the current cull.”

Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Stroud, David Drew, added his approval saying: “As Stroud is the only remaining badger vaccination project area left in the country, we have important lessons for those places with a high incidence of bovine TB.

“It is now vital that we roll out this programme and concentrate resources on finding suitable cattle vaccine.”

Labour’s shadow secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, Maria Eagle, also pledged to defend the hunting ban.

The six pledges that are outlined in the Labour party pamphlet are signed by leader Ed Miliband.