Puppy farms, trail hunting and snare traps are all set to be banned under animal welfare reforms being introduced by the government.

Ministers have today unveiled the government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, which also takes aim at other measures seen as cruel, such as shock collars, as well as cages and crates for farm animals.

But while proposals to improve animals’ lives have been welcomed, Labour have been accused of acting like “authoritarian control freaks” for plans to ban trail hunting.

This is the practice that sees an animal scent laid through the countryside, which then allows riders and dogs to ‘hunt’ the smell.

Labour banned fox hunting outright in 2004, but Sir Keir Starmer’s government has suggested trail hunting is now “being used as a smokescreen for hunting” foxes.

Announcing the reforms, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “This government is delivering the most ambitious animal welfare strategy in a generation.

“Our strategy will raise welfare standards for animals in the home, on the farm and in the wild.”

Under the proposals, puppy farms – large-scale sites where dogs are bred intensively – will be banned.

This is because these farms can see breeding dogs kept in “appalling conditions” and “denied proper care”, resulting in “long-term health issues”, according to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The strategy has also launched a consultation on banning shock collars, which use electricity to sting pets and prevent them from escaping.

Other proposals include introducing new licences for rescue and rehoming organisations, promoting “responsible” dog ownership and bringing in new restrictions for farms to improve animal welfare.

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These will see bans on “confinement systems” such as colony cages for hens and pig-farrowing crates, while requirements will be brought in to spare farmed fish “avoidable pain”.

The use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs will also be addressed, while farmers will be encouraged to choose to rear slower-growing meat chicken breeds.

In order to protect wild animals, snare traps will be banned alongside trail hunting, while restrictions on when hares can be shot will be introduced.

The reforms have been publicly welcomed by multiple animal charities, including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, and World Farming UK, as well as by the supermarket Waitrose.

Thomas Schultz-Jagow, from the RSPCA, called the proposals a “significant step forward” and said they have the potential to improve millions of lives.

He added: “People in the UK love animals, and they want to see governments leading the way to outlaw cruel practices which cause suffering. This strategy leads the way by showing a strong commitment to animal welfare.”

Meanwhile, the Greens have also welcomed it but warned the strategy must have “real teeth”, “clear timescales” and “properly support farmers through the transition and not allow imports that don’t meet UK standards”.

Adrian Ramsay said: “Puppy legislation must end breeding for extreme, unhealthy traits in dogs. The strategy could go further for animals, particularly by ending greyhound racing, as the Welsh Government is doing.”

But the Conservatives have hit out at the strategy, saying it shows Labour “simply doesn’t care about rural Britain”.

Victoria Atkins, the shadow environment secretary, said: “While it is good to see the government taking forward Conservative policies to tackle puppy smuggling and livestock worrying, Labour is yet again favouring foreign farmers over British farmers by allowing substandard foreign imports to undercut our already-high welfare standards.”

She also accused Labour of announcing the strategy on the Monday before Christmas “to avoid scrutiny” as “they know that this will be another hammer blow to farming profitability”.

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Meanwhile, Nigel Farage said: “So now Labour wants to ban trail hunting. You might as well ban walking dogs in the countryside as they chase rabbits, hares, deer and foxes. Labour are authoritarian control freaks.”

The Countryside Alliance, an organisation that promotes rural sport, said: “Why does the government want a war with the countryside?

“Trail hunting supports hundreds of jobs and is central to many rural communities. After its attack on family farms, the government should be focusing on addressing issues that actually help rural communities thrive, rather than pursuing divisive policies that hinder them.”

Wes Streeting has pledged to do all he can to avoid industrial action in 2026, as doctors in England return to work following a five-day walkout.

The health secretary said the strike, coupled with surging flu cases, constituted “the most serious threat to the NHS” since he began the role a year and a half ago.

He said: “The double whammy of strike action and flu this December posed the most serious threat to the NHS since I became health and social care secretary.

“The health service has only been able to cope because of the extraordinary efforts of the dedicated staff who work in it, and the hardest yards are in the weeks ahead as we get the NHS through the busiest weeks of the year.

“To everyone who played a role in keeping NHS services running through this exceptionally challenging month, thank you for the real difference you have made.

“I do not want to see a single day of industrial action in the NHS in 2026 and will be doing everything I can to make this a reality.

“My door remains open, as it always has done, and I’m determined to resume discussions with the BMA in the new eear to put an end to these damaging cycles of disruption.”

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The strike took place after The British Medical Association (BMA) said 83% of English members had rejected a fresh proposal from the Labour government.

Sir Keir Starmer called the action “irresponsible”, while Mr Streeting accused the union of a “shocking disregard for patient safety”.

The BMA said the strike was “entirely avoidable” and has demanded a “credible offer” for English doctors to avert “real-terms pay cuts”.

The government’s offer had included a fast expansion of specialist training posts as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees.

It also offered to extend the union’s strike mandate to enable any walkout to be rescheduled to January.

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It does not address resident doctors’ demand for a 26% salary rise over the next few years to make up for the erosion in their pay in real terms since 2008 – this is on top of a 28.9% increase they have had over the last three years.

Public support for the strikes is low, according to a recent YouGov poll.

The results showed 58% of those asked either somewhat or strongly opposed the industrial action, while 33% somewhat or strongly supported it.

The family of a Palestine Action prisoner on day 43 of a hunger strike says she could die in prison if the UK government does not intervene.

Teuta Hoxha, 29, has been on remand, awaiting trial for 13 months. Her sister told Sky News she suffers from continuous headaches, mobility issues, and can no longer stand for prayer.

They fear the worst.

“I know that she’s already instructed the doctors on what to do if she collapses and she’s instructed them on what to do if she passes away,” Teuta’s younger sister Rahma said. “She’s only 29 – she’s not even 30 yet and nobody should be thinking about that,” she added.

“She’s been on remand for over a year, her trial’s not until April next year and bail keeps getting denied.”

Rahma, 17, said despite ill health, Teuta calls her from prison every day to help with homework.

“She’s like my mother figure,” she said. “Our mother passed away when I was really young.

“Teuta took care of me and my siblings and made sure to read us bedtime stories. She’s always there for me and even from prison, she’s helping me do my homework and revise for exams.”

“My sister is a caring and loving person,” Rahma added. “It feels like the state has taken a piece of me.”

Teuta is among eight Palestine Action prisoners who have been on hunger strike. They are all on remand, awaiting trial for offences relating to alleged break-ins or criminal damage, with some having been in custody for over 12 months. They all deny the charges.

The hunger strikers demand an end to the UK’s hosting of weapons factories supplying arms to Israel, the de-proscription of Palestine Action, an end to mistreatment of prisoners in custody, and immediate bail.

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Their families warn young British citizens will die in UK prisons having never been convicted on an offence.

UK law sets out custody time limits to safeguard unconvicted defendants by preventing them from being held in pre-trial custody for an excessive period of time. The regulations governing these limits require the prosecution to progress cases to trial diligently and expeditiously.

The government has said it will not intervene in ongoing legal cases.

Minister of state for prisons, probation and reducing reoffending Lord Timpson said: “These prisoners are charged with serious offences including aggravated burglary and criminal damage.

“Remand decisions are for independent judges, and lawyers can make representations to the court on behalf of their clients.

“Ministers will not meet with them – we have a justice system that is based on the separation of powers, and the independent judiciary is the cornerstone of our system. It would be entirely unconstitutional and inappropriate for ministers to intervene in ongoing legal cases.”

On Monday, Teuta is set to mark her 30th birthday behind bars. There will be no birthday cake, Rahma said.

“The only form of resistance she has is her body and that’s what she is using against the state.”

A spokesperson for HMP Peterborough declined to comment on specific individuals, but said all prisoners are managed in line with government policies and procedures.

They continued: “If any prisoner has specific complaints, we encourage them to raise them directly with the prison, as there are numerous channels available for addressing such concerns.”