The F1 champ Lewis Hamilton is under fire after he shared a BBC article – headlined ‘Confessions of a slaughterhouse worker’ – on Instagram.

A Welsh farmer has slammed Lewis Hamilton for telling his 21.8 million followers to stop eating meat.

The F1 champion and vegan advocate recently shared a BBC article headlined ‘Confessions of a slaughterhouse worker’ on his Instagram story urging those of his fans who eat meat to ditch the lifestyle.

“Please take a moment to think. Please stop eating meat, we have to end this horrific atrocity,” he captioned the post.

Stop telling others how to live and what to eat

Hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones says the F1 vegan champ is “losing the plot”.

Taking to Twitter, the Llanfairfechan-based farmer posted a video to ask Hamilton to stop telling other people how to live and what to eat.

He said: “I really respect the guy as a racing driver, I think he is brilliant, but I think he has got this one wrong, and I tell you why.

“At four o’clock this morning I was up, out, checking on my cows and a newborn calf. All-day we have been checking on our sheep.

“My family have been on this farm for 370 years, producing sustainable food.

“Not only do we produce meat, we produce wool and we grow our own vegetables and we try to grow as much of our own fruit as we can.”

‘Losing the plot’

Taking Hamilton to task on the issue of veganism, he added: “I just think these people are losing reality. They are losing the plot about what we should be talking about.

“I have killed animals and eaten them. I have shot rabbits, I have shot pheasants, I have caught fish and I am proud of it because I am feeding my family.

“I don’t live in Monaco. I don’t live a life that I pretend. I live a life that is true, honest, and part of the ground, the soil that we grow and produce things to feed other people.

“That is what a farmer does. So, I am sorry Lewis, keeping going at 160mph round and round that racetrack, but don’t tell other people how to live or what to eat.”

I’m sorry @LewisHamilton I disagree with you on this . pic.twitter.com/GvyPDBdl7O

— Gareth Wyn Jones (@1GarethWynJones) April 15, 2021

Divided opinions

The video has stirred an online debate dividing people in their opinions on the issue.

Many applauded Wyn Jones for speaking up for farmers and blasted Hamilton for his apparently hypocritical and high CO2 emitting lifestyle.

One user wrote: “How can he advocate this and then pump fumes into the air from his F1 car??”

Another commented: “Man has double standards, we all know he drives around a track for a living. What’s his carbon footprint for a single F1 season.”

“It’s always biggest hypocrites who demand we all change except them. Lewis, Al Gore, John Kerry, Emma Thompson, David Attenborough, all live high CO2 lives, some have private jets, high air-mile usage, multiple houses & not one will be shovelling sh@t caring for stock everyday,” a third tweeted.

Yet, others supported Hamilton for using his platform to promote issues that involve the environment and animal welfare.

A user wrote: “Good on you @LewisHamilton – love these farmers who use the language of “we produce meat, we produce wool” imbeciles. They kill sentient beings for money – period.

“Clearly you can be a world champion and live a life of compassion whether its in Monaco or anywhere else. No excuses.”

Another added: “Its OK to argue with the content of his comment but many here are stood in their glass houses next to neat piles of stones.

“LH is lead campaigner for F1 to achieve carbon-neutral from 2021& net Zero by 2030 So look at the 3 fingers point back when pointing the gun at this person.”

A third pointed out: “A farmer, with a financial interest in a non-vegan diet, says Lewis Hamilton is wrong for promoting a vegan diet. Perhaps the farmer should get a grip.”

• Read: Vegan activist slammed for equating animal slaughter to the Holocaust

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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