Thandie Newton & Dev Patel lead campaign to ban foie gras in Britain

Thandie Newton and Dev Patel are leading a new campaign to completely ban foie gras in Britain.

They have joined 100,000 Brits who have signed an Animal Equality petition demanding an import ban on the pate, produced by force-feeding geese and ducks on farms in France and Spain.

Actor Peter Egan will hand deliver the petition to the U.K. Prime Minister at Downing Street in London on Tuesday (18Sep18).

"We have documented the suffering of ducks and geese on foie gras farms across France and Spain, where birds are force-fed grotesque amounts of food to produce engorged fatty livers," a spokesman for Animal Equality tells WENN. "This process is so cruel that it is illegal in the U.K. and yet nearly 200 tonnes of foie gras is still imported every year for shops such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, as well as opulent restaurants."

After viewing footage of birds being force-fed for foie gras, Thandie Newton said, "I am pleased to join Animal Equality U.K. and the overwhelming majority who support a #FoieGrasFreeGB. The U.K.’s departure from the European Union allows the unique opportunity for Parliament to meaningfully depart from the grotesque foie gras industry. The law should reflect that if it’s too cruel to produce here, we shouldn’t welcome cruelty from elsewhere."

Patel added, "As so many undercover investigations reveal, foie gras production causes prolonged suffering to birds who are repeatedly force-fed by having metal rods shoved down their throats until their livers swell to more than 10 times their natural size.

"The process is so exceptionally cruel that foie gras production was made illegal in the U.K., yet the sale and importation of it is still allowed. We refuse to tolerate this loophole."

Comedian Ricky Gervais and actors Evanna Lynch, Joanna Lumley, and Steven Berkoff have also spoken out in support of the campaign.