Perhaps the public outcry over Halal, or 'Halal hysteria' as some call it, is really a proxy for wider concerns many have about 'sharia creep' - the accommodation of Islamic practises in the UK, which they feel are starting to encroach on what were previously secular spaces - food production, finance, law and state education.
Food retailers should be upfront about what they're serving up, but surely the main issue surrounding Halal and Kosher meat is one of animal welfare, and the religious exemption from UK law that allows animals to be slaughtered without first being stunned.
The National Secular Society has long argued for an end to this exemption. But as long as exemptions are granted, it is essential that meat from non-stun slaughter should be appropriately labelled, enabling consumers to avoid meat from animals not slaughtered humanely, if that's their choice. [The Huffington Post UK] Read more
