Morrissey wades into bitter vegan £5 note row as he hits out at Bank of England over use of tallow

Fury: Morrissey has slammed the Bank of England for using tallow in the new £5 notes
PA
Saphora Smith5 December 2016
The Weekender

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Former Smiths frontman Morrissey has waded into the row over the new £5 note as he slammed the Bank of England for using animal fat in the currency.

The Meat is Murder singer said that anyone who did not take issue with the fact newly issued notes contain tallow fat should donate their bodies for “decorative use in future five pound notes.”

Vegans, vegetarians and members of religious groups have spoken of their outrage over the revelation that animal fat is contained in the currency, with many saying they plan to boycott the bills which came into circulation in September.

The outspoken singer and animal rights activist posted a statement, entitled "United King-Dumb", on his True To You fan site.

The new £5 notes contain tallow which is made from animal fat
Justin Tallis/ AFP/Getty Images

He said: "If it had been revealed by the Bank of England that the new British Five Pound note contained slices of cat or dog, the country would be in an uproar.

"But because we have been trained to accept the vicious slaughter of cows, sheep and pigs, the UK media can only make light of the use of tallow in the new British fiver because animal slaughter is thought to be outside of the human grasp and concern."

He added: "However, whether you care about animals or not, the use of their sliced bodies in the new five pound note evokes a mood and a vibration that displays a gaping hole in human intelligence and in the human race as a compassionate idea.

"It also tells us that the Bank of England has no understanding of doing anything in our time that revives the human image from basic savagery.

"If you feel that the use of animal flesh should not be a moral issue, then you should assert your conviction by donating your own body to the Bank Of England for decorative use in future five pound notes."

Morrissey has been known to ban fast food outlets from cooking meat during festivals at which he is performing, having stormed off stage at Coachella in 2009. He said at the time: "I can smell burning flesh ... and I hope to God it's human."

Morrissey's impassioned statement came as a number of Hindu temples have said they will ban the £5 notes.

Satish Sharma of the National Council of Hindu Temples UK told the BBC he knew of three temples which were boycotting the notes, including Bhaktivedanta Manor in Aldenham, Hertfordshire.

Last week a vegan cafe in Cambridge became the latest business to ban the money.

Bosses at the Rainbow Café, opposite the prestigious King's College, said they will not accept the currency until tallow had been removed.

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