I'm sorry I don't know how to do a link but I have just read this in the Independent on line
"MPs have voted to reject the inclusion of animal sentience – the admission that animals feel emotion and pain – into the EU Withdrawal Bill.
The move has been criticised by animal rights activists, who say the vote undermines environment secretary Michael Gove’s pledge to prioritise animal rights during Brexit.
The majority of animal welfare legislation comes from the EU. The UK Government is tasked with adopting EU laws directly after March 2019 but has dismissed animal sentience.
The Government said during the debate before the vote that this clause is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The RSPCA disputed the Government’s claim."
I'm not a great animal lover myself, but I don't like to think of them being treated as if they have no feelings.
I wondered what animal lovers think about this.
People’s beliefs can mean they refuse life saving medical treatment eg JW so that’s the same as vegans refusing drugs tested on animals. There’s also an issue about Jews and Moslems and medicines containing pig products.
I think it’s just about impossible to develop a drug without it being tested on animals. I thought the issue was about how humanely the animals were treated during the testing process, how they were kept and looked after.
The answer to your question about the number of vegans who refuse medicine tested on animals is ‘quite a lot that I know of’ Annie.
I don't know quite how I feel about that, the thought of someone refusing life-saving medicine and leaving behind a family because they will not take a medicine that has been tested on animals. A drug I take was tested on mice - is my life worth more than that of a mouse? I can't answer that but my family may be able to give their views.
Can anyone here honestly say that the life of a mouse is worth more than the life of their grandchild?
Cancer Research UK only uses animals as a last resort.
It was described on Today as fake news
Vaccines are given to treat serious illnesses ? I think of them as preventing illness ,
The OP raised the question of the Repeal Bill vote not veganism .
www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-secretary-confirms-sentience-of-animals-will-continue-to-be-recognised-and-protections-strengthened-when-we-leave-the-eu
" It has been suggested that the vote last week on New Clause 30 of the EU Withdrawal Bill somehow signalled a weakening in the protection of animals - that is wrong. Voting against the amendment was not a vote against the idea that animals are sentient and feel pain - that is a misconception.
Ministers explained on the floor of the house that this Government’s policies on animal welfare are driven by our recognition that animals are indeed sentient beings and we are acting energetically to reduce the risk of harm to animals – whether on farms or in the wild. The vote against New Clause 30 was the rejection of a faulty amendment, which would not have achieved its stated aims of providing appropriate protection for animals. "--
www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/independent-animal-sentience?utm_term=.mlBge1dln#.bvnPbJn4R
An interesting read!
My biggest concern is the ease with which misinformation spreads like farmyard manure and some are happy to believe it without querying it's factual content . This is just another case of spreading gossip, misinformation and even when 'called out' as having done so it appears some have an extremely thick skin.
It is lazy journalism and the incessant need for 'some' to jump on the bandwagon to believe 'what they want to hear' , usually playing politics.
There are companies other than Beauty Without Cruelty that have excellent cruelty free credentials, although BWC is very good. As for China, I don’t know anyone who cares about animal welfare who would buy cosmetics produced or tested there.
I’m astonished that people can believe we have excellent animal welfare standards in this country. The U.K. has nearly 800 factory mega farms. The majority of chickens, ducks and turkeys are farmed in factories. The majority of breeding sows are kept in crates. A look at the Compassion in World Farming website shows the truth of farming in the U.K. as well as worldwide. We simply cannot rest on our laurels, and I still say that looking for countries that are worse than us is a distraction from doing something about what is happening here.
The answer to your question about the number of vegans who refuse medicine tested on animals is ‘quite a lot that I know of’ Annie. And as for cosmetics and household products, no vegan or vegetarian I know would dream of using products that have been tested on animals either here or abroad.
But continue to look for imaginary faults in those who try to live with different principles if it makes you feel better. T’was ever thus.
I would think so, but many cosmetics are produced in China and imported nowadays through our trade links 
And those rather expensive cosmetics from France are not necessarily ethically produced.
Good point raised there Anniebach. It would be interesting to know. And I do hope that only cosmetics, shampoos, shower gels and personal hygiene products are purchased exclusively from Beauty Without Cruelty (or similar)?
Most vaccines are grown on albumen from fertilised eggs or chicken embryos.
None, I would think Annie 
We have managed to get a few good puns into this thread,
Flogging a dead horse, dung spreading and ploughing.
Wonder how many vegans refuse medication for life threatening illnesses for fear of testing in animals
Well done anyone who ploughs through that lot!
well said Jalima and so many awful European cruelties to animals.
Pathetic, Jalima.
This is about farmed animals and the fact that this government did not want to keep the clause in about animals feeling pain, etc.
Unfortunately, some areas of Europe think it is normal to eat non-farmed animals such as horses and donkeys.
Easy to find out how your MP voted and you can email him/her with your views.
We should be aiming for standards that are higher than those of the EU and ensuring that they are implemented.
I think I have thrown all my toys out of the pram now.
Unless I can find another rattle hidden away somewhere.
ilovecheese I hope all the above will ease your concerns about animal welfare in the UK and that leaving the EU will not in any change our responsibilities to animal welfare. Judging by European standards our standards of welfare in the UK are higher even though we still have room for improvement and long may we continue to set the standards.
Animal protection laws is often low priority in eastern and southern Europe and are rarely followed. Citizens who witness animal cruelty and reporting on this to the police or authorities seldom heeded, which leads to apathy among the population. People feel a hopelessness and frustration, not to be heard.
Citizens who live in countries with many stray animals, also report on mental illness and sleep disorders, because of the atrocities they daily witness and the lack of response from the authorities and society to curb these atrocities
The importance of having the same educational programs for animal welfare in Europe's schools, is that the children get an associated understanding between the states. Unfortunately, there are too many testimonies of children and adolescents, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe, which is performing extremely cruel animal torture and many times it is the abandoned companion animals that are exposed - as these are often regarded as vermin and it is considered legally to be cruel and torture and kill dogs and cats in a most cruel manner.
We, the citizens of EU Member States who care about ALL companion animals would like to ask, dear EU decision makers - when do you think it is time to act? After 40 million stray animals have been inhumanely killed in the streets or public shelters, and 80 million new animals have been reproduced to the streets facing the same horrible fate as people continue abandoning them? How long will EU politicians continue to sit back and do nothing? EU would have the power to make a change and stop these atrocities occurring, if EU only had the will!
We require a complete reforming for the welfare of animals in the EU!
www.esdaw-eu.eu/the-eu-and-animal-welfare.html
Has there been improvement? If so, please post that there has and that these eu countries have come up to the standards that the UK adheres to and which our inspectors try to implement.
and who can forget the horsemeat scandal?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/31/two-men-jailed-in-uk-for-horsemeat-conspiracy
The Danish-owned FlexiFoods would buy horsemeat and beef from other traders across Europe and have it delivered to Dinos & Sons in Tottenham. Sideras denied being part of the conspiracy and told the jury he was only storing horsemeat shipments for FlexiFoods.
Packham is making an independent film about Malta’s spring hunt in which thousands of migrating birds are shot over the Mediterranean island
[[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/apr/19/chris-packham-charged-in-malta-after-confrontation-with-bird-hunters]
Guardian again
Michael Gove has promised to make “any necessary changes” to UK law to recognise that animals can feel pain, after a social media campaign accused Conservative MPs of voting down proposals to accept they are sentient beings.
The environment secretary issued a statement to the House of Commons insisting that it was a misconception to say Tory MPs voted against the idea that animals are sentient and feel pain.
But he clarified that the government was now looking at making UK law specifically recognise animal sentience, following a row over the issue in the EU withdrawal bill.
That was in the Guardian btw
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