Conservatives hope to turn animal welfare sentiment into votes

Campaigner says Conservatives might ban live exports and give more funding for fighting wildlife crime

Wildlife campaigner Dominic Dyer received a call last week from former Conservative environment minister Zac Goldsmith with an unexpected request: could Dyer advise on the foxhunting ban, and how might the Tories strengthen it in their manifesto?

The 2019 election may go down in history as another Brexit vote but the apparently marginal issue of animal rights could - once again - prove surprisingly influential.